Hierarchical fax-through data network and remote access network appliance control apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A FAX-through data network includes a receiver side LAN end station and a sender side LAN end station. A first converter receives a FAX communication from the sender FAX and generates a FAX packet. The FAX packet includes a receiver FAX-network ID. A FAX-network server receives the FAX packet, extracts the receiver FAX-network ID, performs a lookup of a destination IP address in a mapping table and forwards the FAX packet to the destination IP address. Multiple mapping tables can be distributed in a hierarchical fashion, allowing querying and updating of multiple lookup tables as needed. A second converter intercepts and identifies the FAX packet, extracts the FAX communication from the FAX packet, establish a communication with the receiver FAX without routing a signal through the PSTN and transmits the FAX communication to the receiver FAX machine. A remote access appliance control apparatus includes an appliance side LAN end station. An appliance control packet is generated by the remote network user and includes an appliance network ID and the control command. An appliance network server receives the appliance control packet, extracts the appliance network ID, looks-up a corresponding destination IP address in a mapping table, and forwards the appliance control packet to the destination IP address. Multiple mapping tables can be distributed in a hierarchical fashion, allowing querying and updating of multiple lookup tables as needed. An appliance converter intercepts and identifies the appliance control packet, extracts the control command and asserts the control command to the appliance using the appliance communication protocol. Advantages include the ability to share the IP address of a LAN end station. The invention also eliminates local and long distance toll cost charge for FAX communication, reduces latency and controls bandwidth.

[0001] This application is a continuation in part-of and claims priorityto U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/519,839, filed Mar. 6, 2000,which is copending.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a FAX-through datanetwork and a remote access appliance control apparatus and method, and,more particularly, to a system, method, and apparatus that utilize adata network to transfer a FAX data packet or an appliance controlpacket to a FAX machine or an appliance, respectively.

BACKGROUND

[0003] A FAX transmission using the public switched telephone network(PSTN) is processed with the same methodology as a voice telephoneconnection. To transfer a document via FAX, the transmitting FAX machinestarts up a connection request by dialing a receiving party's telephonenumber. The PSTN acts both as a destination locator and a channelprovider with two tasks. First, the PSTN will find the destination FAXlocation and alert the receiving FAX to answer the transmission request.Second, the PSTN will make a channel connection between the transmittingFAX and the receiving FAX.

[0004] As depicted in FIG. 1, there is no difference to the PSTN whetherhandling a FAX or a voice telephone connection. Due to the fact that areal time response in a conversation between two parties is required,the cost of the connection is measured by the duration of the connectionand the distance between the two parties. This cost measurement is setmostly because a voice conversation requires a real time response sincethe human ear and brain can only tolerate a small amount of latency.

[0005] This cost measurement is, however, inappropriate for FAXtransmissions since a real time response, measured in 0.1 seconds oftime, is not required. Furthermore, the cost measurement of the durationof the connection is not particularly appropriate. A human conversationalways exchanges information at a constant rate. Therefore, theconversation always takes the same amount of time to get a messageacross. In other words, the connection time equals the amount ofinformation exchanged. On the other hand, a FAX communication canutilize a faster data rate than the data rate used by voicecommunications (when channel bandwidth is available) or slow down thedata rate when channel traffic is congested. In addition, a latency inthe response time on the order of one or more minutes is tolerable forFAX transmissions. As such, a correct method for measuring the cost ofFAX communication is a measurement of the transferred data size insteadof the call duration, provided the channel bandwidth is scalable. Insummary, FAX customers pay a expensive PSTN toll charges for a servicewhich is not needed.

[0006] In recent years, the bandwidth of data network connectionsbetween two end user computers or two end station computers has expandedto meet the data transfer requirements discussed above. These datanetworks are readily available in every trade industry and business.Data networks have imposed larger latency compared to the PSTN, but itis acceptable when dealing with FAX transmissions. In addition, the costof the data transfer is measured by the size of the exchangedinformation in many cases. For example, a 56K modem connection cantransfer 56 Kbits of information per second (560K bit per 10 second or201,600 Kbit per hour) free of charge in a global data network, theInternet. In fact, other data network connection technologies canprovide even higher bandwidth. Consequently, since the average size of aFAX communication is about 480K, the cost of a FAX transmission over adata network is negligible (free of charge).

[0007] Based on the argument described above, FAX services utilizingdata networks should be quite common. In reality, there are very fewsuch deployments. The reason is due to the fact that data networks werenot fully deployed until recently. Moreover, FAX machines based on thePSTN have dominated the market for more than three decades. FAXequipment vendors have no incentive to move over to data networksbecause the cost of FAX transmissions are paid by the end user, not bythe equipment vendor.

[0008] As depicted in FIG. 2, a data network topology is comprised ofmultiple local area networks (LAN) connect together by a wide areanetwork (WAN). As used herein, WAN also refers to public computernetworks, such as the Internet. WAN and public network is used hereininterchangeably. Within a LAN, there are multiple end stations connectedthereto. Each end station is assigned a unique identification numberreferred to as its Internet Address or the IP address. Any dataexchanged between two parties will need to identify the destination orend station location by its corresponding IP address. The connectionbetween the LAN and the WAN is separated by a Router, which will relaythe data to the WAN if the destination IP address is not within the LAN.

[0009] The data network also uses a session port to identify the type ofapplication. There are well known session port numbers which are fixedin the Internet to represent application flow. For example, the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) uses session port 80, while electronicmail (E-Mail) uses session port 110. On the other hand, there are a fewunassigned session ports available for individual applications. Sincethere are many application communications in the data network, a sessionport attached to a transmitting data package in the network will enablethe receiving party to identify and process the data package in order tocollect the information in the data package.

[0010]FIG. 3 depicts one technique for utilizing a data network in theFAX transmission process. This type of service establishes a centralFAX-network server which connects one end to the PSTN and the other endto the data network. Each receiving customer will be given a unique PSTNtelephone number for the FAX-network server to identify the destination.Users are also required to have an E-Mail address in order to receivethe electronic form of the FAX transmission which is sent through theunique PSTN number. The transmitting party is required to make a PSTNcall to the central FAX-network server. Although, the dialed PSTN numberis used to uniquely identify the FAX receiver, the FAX number isphysically connected to central FAX-server through the PSTN networkwhich is similar to a corporation direct line. The FAX-network serverwill then receive the FAX data and put it in a temporary storage. Thetransmitting party performs the same operations as a normal call throughthe PSTN since it dials and faxes through a regular telephone number.

[0011] The FAX-network server perform two tasks. First, it identifiesthe receiving PSTN number and maps it to the E-Mail address of thereceiving party. Then, it retrieves the stored FAX data, repackages thedata into a data network format and sends the data through the datanetwork to the individual E-Mail address. The receiving party canretrieve the E-Mail and either view the FAX document in an electronicformat or as the printer's printout.

[0012] The problem with this method is that it requires the transmittingparty to place a PSTN toll call to the central FAX-network server.Therefore the toll cost for the call is not reduced if the distancebetween the sender and the receiver is shorter than the distance betweenthe sender and the central server. Moreover, this method provides only aconversion from the FAX information to the electronic format without areduction in cost. In addition, this technique does not provide a goodsolution for receiving a FAX from a heritage FAX machine. As usedherein, “legacy FAX” and “heritage FAX” refer to any existing FAXmachine or device, or any computer implementing FAX functions throughdial up connections over the PSTN.

[0013]FIG. 4 depicts an additional FAX system which utilizes a datanetwork to deliver a FAX communication. This method requires thetransmitting FAX to place a PSTN call to its local FAX-network server,similar to the previous method. However, instead of using a centralFAX-network server to receive the incoming FAX communication, thismethod sets up multiple regional FAX-network servers to reduce the longdistance telephone toll charge. The local or regional FAX-network serverwill receive and store the FAX communication in a temporary data buffer.This local server then repackages the FAX communication into a datanetwork format and forwards it to a remote FAX-network server which iscloser to the receiver FAX. The remote FAX-network server will unpackthe FAX communication to restore the information into the original FAXformat and make a FAX telephone call through the PSTN to the receivingFAX machine. Finally, the receiving FAX machine will get the FAXcommunication, without the cost of a direct long distance call from thesender to the receiver. The receiver's PSTN telephone number must beregistered in all the servers in order for the technique to function.For the local server, the receiver's PSTN telephone number will be usedto locate the proper remote-server to which the FAX communication shouldbe sent. For the remote server, the receiver PSTN telephone number isused to make a PSTN toll call from the remoter server to the receivingFAX machine.

[0014] Although this technique eliminates the long distance toll chargeby using a data network, the technique suffers from two drawbacks.First, the requirement of setting up several possible regional/localFAX-network servers is costly. Second, the regional/local PSTN toll costin many sub-urban areas will still be charged a fee.

[0015]FIG. 5 depicts a further FAX system which also utilizes a datanetwork to deliver a FAX communication. Each FAX machine is required toconnect to a PBX emulator that converts the FAX communication to datanetwork format. Each PBX emulator is connected to an end station havinga unique IP address. Each end station performs full network protocol andapplication functions in order to send and receive data network packetscontaining the FAX communication. This implementation also requires eachend station to construct a full data base that contains a mapping tablewhich can map PSTN telephone numbers to data network IP addresses.

[0016] One problem with this technique is that each end station isrequired to have a dedicated IP address which is a precious resource ofthe Internet. In addition, the end stations need to perform full networkprotocol operations which are extremely complicated in comparison to asimple FAX transfer. This results in an overly complicated consumerapplication. Moreover, since each end station has a dedicated IP addressand performs full network protocol functions, the network administrationsystem is required to performs maintenance and administration routinesfor the end station which further consumes administrator resources. Ineffect, the complexity required to implement the end stations rendersthis technique cost ineffective.

[0017] What is needed is a technique for a FAX transmission system thatutilizes a FAX-through data network without requiring a plurality ofregional/local FAX-network servers. In addition, a need remains for atechnique that eliminates the use of the PSTN. Also, there is a need fora low cost implementation that does not require assignment of aninternet address to users in order to utilize the invention and receiveFAX communications.

[0018] Another problem exists in the area of latency and bandwidth. PSTNis used to relay voice conversation. The cost of PSTN transmission isexpensive as PSTN can provide hundreds of thousands of voice streamssimultaneously without degrading communication quality. While WANS andpublic data networks such as the Internet can relay a large quantity ofdata with virtually no cost to an end user, the quality of data that issensitive to latency, such as voice communication cannot be guaranteed.Due to the bidirectional and interactive nature of voice communication,as discussed above, minimal latency is required. Generally, a humanbrain can't tolerate a latency in voice conversation greater than 100milliseconds. Voice communication is considered broken by conversingparties if latency is above 100 milliseconds.

[0019] Another shortcoming of existing public data networks relates tobandwidth. Public data networks can relay large amounts of data betweensource and destination for extended periods of time. However, when datatraffic is congested, especially during peak usage times, bandwidthcannot be guaranteed over a short period of time. This presents asignificant problem for applications such as video streaming, which havestringent bandwidth requirements over short periods.

[0020] Several Internet protocols, such as H323 or Session InitiationProtocol for VoIP, have been developed to address the problems oflatency and bandwidth. While these protocols have resolved some of theproblems, a comprehensive solution from end user to end user is stillneeded.

SUMMARY

[0021] The present invention overcomes the identified problems byproviding a FAX-through data network and remote access appliance controlapparatus and method. In particular, the invention utilizes a datanetwork to transfer a FAX data packet or an appliance control packet toa FAX machine or an appliance, respectively. The present inventiondiscovers the capability to share an IP address of a LAN end station andthe ability to intercept network data packets transmitted to the LAN endstation in order to identify a FAX data packet or an appliance controlpacket.

[0022] An exemplary embodiment of the apparatus includes a receiver sideLAN end station having a receiver IP address and a sender side LAN endstation having a sender IP address. A first converter receives the FAXcommunication from the sender FAX and converts the FAX communication toa network packet format to generate a FAX packet. The FAX packetincludes a predefined session port number and a receiver FAX-network ID.A FAX-network server receives the FAX packet, extracts the receiverFAX-network ID, performs a lookup of a corresponding destination IPaddress in a mapping table and forwards the FAX packet to thedestination IP address. A second converter intercepts and identifies theFAX packet, extracts the FAX communication from the FAX packet,establishes a communication link with the receiver FAX without routing asignal through the PSTN and transmits the FAX communication to thereceiver FAX machine.

[0023] In an embodiment for asserting a control command to an appliancefrom a remote network user, the invention includes an appliance side LANend station having an appliance IP address which is shared by theappliance. An appliance control packet is generated by the remotenetwork user and includes a predefined session port number, an appliancenetwork ID and the control command. An appliance network server receivesthe appliance control packet, extracts the appliance network ID,looks-up a corresponding destination IP address in a mapping table, andforwards the appliance control packet to the destination IP address. Anappliance converter intercepts and identifies the appliance controlpacket, extracts the control command and asserts the control command tothe appliance using an appliance communication protocol.

[0024] The invention provides many advantages over known techniques. Thepresent invention includes the ability to share the IP address of a LANend station, thereby eliminating the need for additional IP addresses.This feature results in apparatus wherein each individual FAX is notrequired to assume full data network communication protocol operations,which are left to the LAN end station. Consequently, networkadministration effort required to manage additional FAX devices isnegligible. In addition, the invention also eliminates local and longdistance toll cost charges for FAX transmissions which can becomeextensive. Moreover, the invention allows remote access control ofappliances which promotes the mobility that is now so prevalent in oursociety.

[0025] In another aspect, the present invention provides latency andbandwidth control by controlling the transmission of packets ofdifferent users based on priority. When a user having a high prioritywishes to transmit a FAX communication or issue control commands to aremotely located network appliance, a communication line is madeavailable for that user's transmission and all other communication ispreempted. Bandwidth control is effected by reserving the requisitebandwidth for the transmission and releasing it when the transmission iscompleted.

[0026] In another aspect, the present invention provides distributedlookup tables that allow a FAX network ID number or a device network IDnumber to be used as a key to find associated IP addresses within thelookup table. By placing the lookup tables in multiple locations, suchas a device to LAN converter, local server, and remotely located server,a hierarchical lookup table architecture can be used that localizessubsets of mapping information nearest the entity. Update packets can beforwarded to upstream servers, thus allowing a remotely located deviceserver to have an extensive mapping table, which can be accessed whenthe mapping tables of the device to LAN converter and local server donot contain IP addresses that map to a FAX network ID number. Byutilizing the hierarchical mapping table architecture of the presentinvention, a reduction in network traffic is realized as the most oftenaccessed IP addresses are stored locally and fewer queries to a remotelylocated mapping table are required.

[0027] In yet another aspect of the present invention, the FAX networkID or device network ID comprises a number that progresses from a mostsignificant digit to least significant digit. A group of devices or FAXmachines can be identified by significant digits, leaving the leastsignificant digits to represent individual devices or machines withinthe group. The mapping of network ID to IP address can ignore the leastsignificant digit and simply refer to the group, allowing a local deviceto LAN converter to discern which local machine is to receive atransmission routed to the group of devices or machines in accordancewith embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0028] Additional advantages and features of the invention will becomereadily apparent upon reading the following detailed description andappended claims when taken in conjunction with reference to thedrawings, in which:

[0029]FIG. 1 depicts a FAX transmission and voice communication throughthe PSTN as known in the art;

[0030]FIG. 2 depicts a data network construct as known in the art;

[0031]FIG. 3 depicts a prior art technique for FAX transmissions througha data network;

[0032]FIG. 4 depicts a prior art technique for FAX transmissions througha data network;

[0033]FIG. 5 depicts a prior art technique for FAX transmissions througha data network;

[0034]FIG. 6 depicts a FAX-through data network work according to afirst embodiment of the invention;

[0035]FIG. 7 depicts a first converter according to the first embodimentof the invention, wherein the first converter is in a “send only”configuration;

[0036]FIG. 8 depicts a FAX-network server according to an embodiment ofthe invention;

[0037]FIG. 9 depicts a second converter according to the firstembodiment of the invention, wherein the second converter is in a“receive only” configuration;

[0038]FIG. 10 depicts the first converter according to an exemplaryembodiment of the invention shown in a send and receive configuration;

[0039]FIG. 11 depicts the second converter according to an exemplaryembodiment of the invention shown in a send and receive configuration;

[0040] FIGS. 12A/B depict method steps for transmitting a FAXcommunication from a sender FAX to a receiver according to an embodimentof the invention;

[0041]FIG. 13 depicts additional method steps for sending thenotification packet to the network server according to an embodiment ofthe invention;

[0042] FIGS. 14A/14B depict additional method steps for receiving thenotification packet at the FAX-network server according to embodimentsof the invention;

[0043]FIG. 15 depicts additional method steps for generating a sendernotification packet according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0044]FIG. 16 depicts method steps for establishing a FAX communicationbetween a sender FAX and a first converter according to an embodiment ofthe invention;

[0045] FIGS. 17A/17B/17C depict additional method steps for sending theFAX packet to FAX-network server according to an embodiment of theinvention;

[0046] FIGS. 18A/18B depict additional method steps for receiving theFAX packet at the FAX-network server according to embodiments of theinvention;

[0047] FIGS. 19A/19B depicts additional method steps for interceptingthe FAX packet at a second converter according to an embodiment of theinvention;

[0048]FIG. 20 depicts additional method steps for establishing a FAXcommunication with the receiver according to an embodiment of theinvention;

[0049]FIG. 21 depicts additional method steps for detecting a receiverIP address according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0050]FIG. 22 depicts an appliance control apparatus for asserting acontrol command to an appliance from a remote network user;

[0051]FIG. 23 depicts an appliance converter according to an embodimentof the invention;

[0052]FIG. 24 depicts the appliance converter according to an exemplaryembodiment of the invention;

[0053]FIG. 25 depicts an appliance network server according to anembodiment of the invention;

[0054]FIG. 26 depicts a daisy chain configuration of the remote accessappliance control apparatus according to an alternative embodiment ofthe invention;

[0055]FIG. 27 depicts an appliance network server according to anexemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0056]FIG. 28 depicts method steps for asserting a control command to anappliance from a remote network user according to an embodiment of theinvention;

[0057]FIG. 29 depicts additional method steps for detecting an applianceIP address according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0058]FIG. 30 depicts additional method steps for intercepting anappliance control packet according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0059] FIGS. 31A/31B depict additional method steps for receiving thenotification packet at an appliance network server according toembodiments of the invention;

[0060] FIGS. 32A/32B depict additional method steps for receiving theappliance control packet at the appliance network server andtransmitting the appliance control packet to a destination IP addressaccording to embodiments of the invention;

[0061] FIGS. 33A/33B depict additional method steps for sending anotification packet to the appliance network server according toembodiments of the invention;

[0062] FIGS. 34A/34B depict additional method steps for intercepting theappliance control packet in the daisy chain configuration of theappliance converters according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0063]FIG. 35 depicts additional method steps for generating andtransmitting an appliance status report to the remote network useraccording to an embodiment of the invention.

[0064]FIG. 36 illustrates the architecture of an additional embodimentof the FAX-to-LAN converter and device-to-LAN converter incorporating aninternal mapping table;

[0065]FIG. 37 illustrates the architecture of alternative embodiments ofthe networks of the present invention incorporatingdistributed/hierarchical mapping tables;

[0066]FIG. 38 illustrates the architecture of alternative embodiments ofthe FAX-to-LAN converter and device-to-LAN converter incorporatingquery/resolution capability for distributed/hierarchical network ID toIP address mapping;

[0067]FIG. 39 illustrates the architecture of an alternative embodimentof the local server incorporating query/resolution capability fordistributed/hierarchical network ID to IP address mapping;

[0068]FIG. 40 illustrates the architecture of a remotely located serverincorporating query/resolution capability for distributed/hierarchicalnetwork ID to IP address mapping;

[0069]FIG. 41 depicts method steps for transmitting a FAX communicationfrom a sender FAX to a receiver according to an embodiment of theinvention; and

[0070]FIG. 42 depicts method steps for query and resolution of thereceiver IP address according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] The present invention relates to a FAX-through data network and aremote access appliance control apparatus and methods. In particular,the invention utilizes a data network to transfer a FAX data packet oran appliance control packet to a FAX machine or an appliance,respectively. The present invention discovers the capability to share anIP address of a LAN end station and the ability to intercept networkdata packets transmitted to the LAN end station in order to identify aFAX data packet or an appliance control packet. Heading numbers are usedherein for readability and are not necessarily indicative of specificembodiments.

[0072] 1. FAX-through Data Network

[0073] A FAX-through data network transfers a FAX communication from asender FAX to a receiver FAX without routing a signal through a PSTN. Inorder to implement the FAX-through data network, an IP address of a LANend station is shared with an attached converter. The converter in theinitial setup stage will act as a transparent device. All traffictransmitted from the end station to a LAN will be passed through.Similarly, all traffic transmitted from the LAN to the end station willbe passed through. The converter, however, taps into the contents ofnetwork data packets transmitted from the LAN end station to the LAN,analyzes the packet, and learns the IP address of the LAN end station.Once the IP address of the LAN end station is determined, the convertersends a notification packet to a FAX-network server. The notificationpacket contains a converter FAX-network ID and the IP Address. Eachconverter is assigned and setup with the unique FAX-network ID whenmanufactured. These FAX-network IDs are not PSTN phone numbers. They areprivate phone numbers assigned by the FAX-network administration. Everyconverter in the FAX-through data network needs to register an IPaddress with the FAX-network server.

[0074] There is no direct data transfer between a sender's LAN routerand a receiver's LAN router. Instead, all the FAX packets are sent tothe FAX-network server using a predefined session port number. TheFAX-network server will search through a mapping table, locate adestination IP address, and forward the FAX packet to the destination IPaddress. The installation of the FAX-network server is necessary toprevent the duplication of session port numbers between the transmittingconverter and the LAN end station. This is due to the fact that theconverter has no control over the session port used by the LAN endstation. A network application in the LAN end station usually randomlyselects the session port number (other than well known ports) toinitiate or to respond to a data network transmission. Therefore, thechance of using a duplicate session port number is a likely and possibleconflict which needs to be resolved.

[0075] This conflict is resolved by installing the FAX-network server inthe WAN. The server has a fixed and unique IP address that only theFAX-through data network can access. A network packet transmitted to theFAX-network server is filtered by an identification field in the packetto distinguish between FAX packets and notification packets. Thenotification packet is fed into an extractor to extract the source IPaddress and the FAX-network ID. The source IP address and theFAX-network ID are added into the mapping table as a new entry. Sincethe FAX-network server IP address is unique in the data network, byidentifying both the session port number and the FAX-network server IPaddress, the receiving party can resolve the conflict and properlyidentify the FAX packet. A system architecture for implementing theFAX-through data network is now described.

[0076] A. System Architecture

[0077] A first embodiment is described with reference to FIG. 6. AFAX-through data network apparatus 100, that transmits a FAXcommunication 102 from a sender FAX 104 to a receiver FAX 106 withoutrouting a signal through a PSTN, is depicted. The apparatus 100 includesa receiver side LAN end station 108 having a receiver IP address and asender side LAN end station 110 having a sender IP address. A firstconverter 120 receives the FAX communication 102 from the sender FAX 104and converts the FAX communication 102 to a network packet format togenerate a FAX packet 112. The FAX packet 112 includes a predefinedsession port number and a receiver FAX-network ID. A FAX-network server150 then receives the FAX packet 112, extracts the receiver FAX-networkID, looks up a corresponding destination IP address in a mapping table(not shown) and forwards the FAX packet 112 to the destination IPaddress. A second converter 170, which may, but need not be identifiedto the first converter 120, intercepts and identifies the FAX packet112. Once identified and intercepted, the second converter 170 extractsthe FAX communication 102 from the FAX packet 112, establishes acommunication link with the receiver FAX 106, without routing a signalthrough the PSTN, and transmits the FAX communication 102 to thereceiver FAX machine 106.

[0078]FIG. 7 depicts one form of the first converter 120, showngenerally in FIG. 6. For the purpose of illustration, the firstconverter 120 is shown in a “send only” configuration and the secondconverter 170 (FIG. 9) is shown in a “receive only” configuration. Thefirst converter 120 includes a FAX transmit buffer 122 that stores theFAX communication 102 received from the sender FAX 104 via a FAXcommunication port 124. The FAX communication port 124 establishes acommunication link with the sender FAX machine 104 without routing asignal through the PSTN. This direct connection is accomplished, forexample, using a PBX emulation device (not shown) as known in the art. AFAX to network package unit 126 then receives the FAX communication 102and converts the FAX communication 102 to the network packet format togenerate the FAX packet 112. The FAX packet 112 includes the predefinedsession port number in a header of the FAX packet 112 and the receiverFAX-network ID. A transmit channel arbitrator 128 monitors a sender sideend station transmit channel 130, such that once the transmit channel130 is idle, the FAX packet 112 is transferred to the FAX-network server150 (FIG. 6) via a transmit channel 132 of a LAN communication port 134.

[0079]FIG. 8 depicts the FAX-network server 150, shown generally in FIG.6. The FAX-network server 150, as depicted in FIG. 8, supports the sendand receive only configurations of the converters (FIGS. 7 and 9 ) aswell as the dual configurations depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11. TheFAX-network server 150 includes an input filter 152 that receives anetwork packet on a server receive channel 154 and identifies thenetwork packet as a notification packet 138/188 or a FAX packet 112/186.A first extractor 156 determines a FAX-network ID and an IP addresscontained in the notification packet 138/188 and creates a new entry inthe mapping table 160. The mapping table includes a FAX-network ID fieldand an IP address field. A second extractor 162 determines thedestination FAX-network ID from the FAX packet 112/186. A search engine164 determines the destination FAX IP address from the mapping table 160by using the destination FAX-network ID received from the secondextractor as a key. A packet modifier 166 modifies a destination IPaddress and a source IP address in a header of the FAX packet 112/186.The packet modifier 166 replaces the destination IP address of the FAXpacket 112/186 with the destination FAX IP address and the source IPaddress of the FAX packet 112/186 with an IP address the FAX-networkserver 150.

[0080]FIG. 9 depicts the second converter 170, shown generally in FIG.6. The second converter 170 includes a source IP extractor 136 thatdetects and extracts the receiver IP address by monitoring transmitchannel 172 for network packets 178 transmitted by the receiver side LANend station 108. Once the receiver IP address is determined, the sourceIP extractor 136 generates a notification packet 188 including thepredefined session port number in a header of the notification packet188, the receiver FAX-network ID and the extracted receiver IP address.A transmit channel arbitrator 128 monitors the receiver side end stationtransmit channel 172. Once the transmit channel is idle, the transmitchannel arbitrator 128 transfers the notification packet 188 to theFAX-network server 150 via the transmit channel 174 of the LANcommunication port 176.

[0081] The second converter 170 does not have a dedicated IP address andtherefore shares the IP address of the receiver side LAN end station108. Consequently, the second converter 170 includes the receive channelfilter 142 that monitors a receive channel 179 for network packets180/112 transmitted to the receiver side LAN end station 108. In orderto identify and intercept the FAX packet 112, the receive channel filter142 monitors a session port number and a source IP address of thenetwork packets 180/112. Once a FAX packet 112 is identified andintercepted from the end station 108, the FAX packet 112 is stored inthe FAX receive buffer 144. A network format to FAX format unpack unit146 then extracts the FAX communication 102 from the FAX packet 112 andforwards the FAX communication 102 to the receiver FAX machine 106 via aFAX communication port 182. The FAX communication port 182 establishes acommunication with the receiver FAX machine 106 without routing a signalthrough the PSTN as described above.

[0082]FIG. 10 depicts another form of the first converter 120 A, showngenerally in FIG. 6, wherein the sender FAX machine 104 A is furtherconfigured to also receive FAX communications 184 utilizing both astart-up mode and an operation mode. The first converter 120 A furtherincludes a source IP extractor 136 that detects and extracts the senderIP address by monitoring a transmit channel 130 for network packets 137transmitted by the sender side LAN end station 110. Once the sender IPaddress is determined, the source IP extractor 136 generates anotification packet 138 including the predefined session port number ina header of the notification packet 138, the sender FAX-network ID andthe extracted sender IP address. A startup switch 140 receives thenotification packet 138 and the FAX packet 112, such that once thenotification packet 138 is transferred to an output 142 of the startupswitch 140, the FAX packet 112 is transferred to the output 142thereafter.

[0083] Until the notification packet 138 is transferred to the output142 of the startup switch 140, the first converter 120 A is in start-upmode. During start-up mode, the FAX-network ID and the sender side LANend station IP address are not registered with the FAX-network server150. Consequently, the converter 120 A is unable to receive or send FAXcommunications 102 from or through the FAX-through data network 100.Once the notification packet 138 is transmitted to the FAX-networkserver 150, the converter 120 A enters operation mode. During operationmode, the FAX-network ID and the corresponding IP address of the firstconverter 120 A are registered in the FAX-network server 150, therebyenabling the receipt or transmission of FAX communications through theFAX-through data network 100.

[0084] The transmit channel arbitrator 128 monitors the sender side endstation transmit channel 130. Once the sender side end station transmitchannel 130 is idle, the notification packet 138 is transferred to theFAX-network server 150 via the transmit channel 132 of the LANcommunication port 134. The sender FAX 104 then enters operation modeallowing the sender FAX 104 to receive FAX communications 184. A receivechannel filter 142 monitors a sender side end station receive channel135 for network packets 139/186 transmitted to the sender side endstation 170. A session port number and a source IP address of thenetwork packets 139/186 are then analyzed in order to identify andintercept a FAX packet 186. A network packet 139/186 transmitted to theLAN end station 110 is identified as a FAX packet 186 when the sessionport number matches the predefined session port number and the source IPaddress matches an IP address of the FAX-network server 150. A FAXreceive buffer 144 stores the FAX packet 186 once it is identified andintercepted. A network format to FAX format unpack unit 146 thenextracts the FAX communication 184 from the FAX packet 186 and forwardsthe FAX communication 184 to the sender FAX machine 104A via the FAXcommunication port 124. The FAX communication port 124 establishes acommunication channel with the sender FAX machine 104A without routing asignal through the PSTN by using a PBX emulation device (not shown) asknown in the art.

[0085]FIG. 11 depicts the second converter 170A according to anotherembodiment of the invention wherein the receiver FAX machine 106A isfurther configured to also transmit FAX communications 184, utilizingboth a startup mode and an operation mode. The second converter furtherincludes a startup switch 140 that receives the notification packet 188and a FAX packet 186. Once the notification packet 188 is transferred toan output 142 of the startup switch 140, the second converter entersoperation mode, thereby transferring the FAX packet 186 to the output142 thereafter. During operation mode, the FAX communication port 182establishes a communication with the receiver FAX machine 106 withoutrouting a signal through the PSTN as described above. A FAX transmitbuffer 122 then stores the FAX communication 184 received from thereceiver FAX 106A via the FAX communication port 182 transmit buffer122. A FAX to network package unit 126 then retrieves the FAXcommunication 184 from the FAX transmit buffer 122 and converts the FAXcommunication 184 to generate the FAX packet 186. The FAX packet 186includes the predefined session port number in a header of the FAXpacket 186 and the destination FAX-network ID for identificationpurposes. In order for the receiver FAX machine 106A to also transmitFAX communication 184, the transmit channel arbitrator 128 furthermonitors the receiver side end station transmit channel 172. Once thetransmit channel 172 is idle, the notification packet/FAX packet 188/186is transferred to the FAX-network server 150 via the transmit channel174 of the LAN communication port 176.

[0086] The FAX-through data network 100, is preferably configured suchthat the first converter 120 and the second converter 170 both send andreceive FAX communications 102/184 as depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11,respectively. However, it is within the contemplation of the presentinvention to configure. the first converter 120 and the second converter170 as depicted in FIGS. 7 and 9, respectively. Such a configurationwould require a first converter 120 and a second converter 170, attachedto each FAX machine 104/106. The first converter 120 would be configuredin the “send only” mode, while the second convert 170 would beconfigured in the “receive only” mode as described above. Thereby, eachFAX machine 104/106 could either send or receive the FAX communication102/184 without routing a signal through the PSTN and also shares the IPaddress of its corresponding LAN end station 108/110.

[0087] B. Operation

[0088]FIG. 12 depicts a method 300 of a first embodiment fortransmitting a FAX communication 102 from a sender FAX 104 to a receiverFAX 106 utilizing a FAX-through data network 100 without routing asignal through a PSTN, for example, as depicted in FIGS. 6 and 8.“Method,” as referred to herein, refers to a sequence of steps that canbe performed by various hardware and instructions that can be executedon a computer, such as computer programs, software and firmware.Hardware such as device to LAN converters and servers can incorporatecomputer processors and memory required to execute the instructions thatcarry out the steps listed in the methods of the present invention. TheFAX-through data network 100 functions in a start-up mode and anoperation mode. The FAX-through data network 100 at step 302 begins instartup mode, wherein a receiver IP address of a receiver side LAN endstation 108 is detected. At step 304, a notification packet 188including a predefined session port number, the detected receiver IPaddress and a receiver FAX-network ID is generated. At step 306, thenotification packet 188 is sent to a FAX-network server 150. At step320, the notification packet 188 is received at the FAX-network server150, wherein the FAX-network server 150 includes a mapping table 160between the destination FAX-network ID and the destination IP address.The FAX-network ID and corresponding IP address contained in thenotification packet 188 are added to the mapping table 160 in order toenable the transmission of the FAX communications 102 between the senderFAX 104 and the receiver FAX 106.

[0089] Operation mode begins at step 340, wherein a communication linkis established between a first converter 120 and the sender FAX 104without routing a signal through a PSTN. At step 360, the FAXcommunication 102 is received from the sender FAX 104 at the firstconverter 120. At step 362, a FAX packet 112 is generated by convertingthe FAX communication 102 to a network packet format including thepredefined session port number and the receiver FAX-network ID. At step364, the FAX packet 112 is sent to the FAX-network server 150. At step380, the FAX packet 112 is received by the FAX-network server 150 andre-transmitted to a destination IP address. However, the destination IPaddress is first looked-up in the mapping table 160, using the receiverFAX-network ID as a key, in order to re-transmit the FAX packet 112 tothe destination IP address. At step 400, the FAX packet 112 isintercepted at a second converter 170. At step 420, the FAXcommunication 102 is extracted from the FAX packet 112. At step 422, acommunication link is established with the receiver FAX machine 106without routing a signal through a PSTN. Finally at step 440, the FAXcommunication 102 is transmitted to the receiver FAX 106. Steps 340through 440 are repeated during the operation mode of the FAX-throughdata network 100 for each transmission of the FAX communication 102.

[0090]FIG. 13 depicts additional procedural method steps 307 for sendingthe notification packet 188 to the FAX-network server of step 306, forexample, from the second converter 170, as depicted in FIGS. 9 and 11.At step 307, a receiver side LAN end station receive channel 172 ismonitored. At step 310, when the receive channel 172 is idle, a pausecontrol is asserted to the receiver side LAN end station 108. A pausecontrol is a flow control technique as known in the art which has beenimplemented for the Internet and LAN. At step 312, a LAN receive channel174 is arbitrated for sending the notification packet 188. At step 313the notification packet 188 is transmitted to the FAX-network server 150via the LAN receive channel 174. At step 314, the pause control isde-asserted to the receiver side LAN end station 108. Finally at step316, the LAN receive channel 174 is arbitrated to the receiver side LANend station 108.

[0091]FIG. 14A depicts additional procedural method steps 321 forreceiving the notification packet 138/188 at the FAX-network server 150of step 320, as depicted in FIG. 8, thereby completing the start-upmode. At step 322, a network packet is received from a FAX networkserver receive channel 154. At step 324, it is determined whether thenetwork packet is a notification packet 138/188. At steps 326 and 328, asource IP address and a source FAX-network ID are extracted from thenotification packet 138/188. At step 330, a new entry is created in themapping table 160 including the source FAX-network ID and the source IPaddress. Finally at step 332, these steps are repeated for each newsender/receiver FAX 108/110 that is added to the FAX-through datanetwork apparatus 100.

[0092]FIG. 15 depicts additional procedural method steps 450 of thestart-up mode, depicted as steps 302 through 320 in FIG. 12, therebyenabling the transmission of the FAX communication 102 from the receiverFAX 106 to the sender FAX 104, for example, as depicted in FIGS. 6, 8and 10. Steps 302 through 320 are included in FIG. 15 for the purposesof illustration. At step 456, a sender IP address of the sender side LANend station 110 is detected and extracted by monitoring a sender sideend station receive channel 135 for network packets 139/186 transmittedto the sender side end station 110. At step 458, a notification packet138 is generated including the predefined session port number in aheader of the notification packet 138, the sender IP address and asender FAX-network ID. At step 460, the notification packet 138 is sentto the FAX-network server 150. Once the notification packet 138 istransmitted to the FAX-network server 150, first converter 120A entersoperation mode. Finally, at step 462, the FAX-network server 150 willreceive the notification packet 138 and create a new entry in themapping table 160. The new entry contains the sender FAX-network ID andthe sender IP address extracted from the notification packet 138, andenables a FAX communication 184 to be transmitted to the sender FAX 104.

[0093]FIG. 16 depicts additional procedural method steps 452 forestablishing a communication link between the first converter 120 andthe sender FAX 104 of step 340, as depicted in FIG. 7. At step 342, anon/off hook of the sender FAX machine 104 is monitored. At step 344, adial tone is generated to the sender FAX machine 104. At step 346, acommunication channel is established between the sender FAX machine 104and a PBX emulation device (not shown). At step 348, a FAX communicationprotocol is established with the sender FAX machine 104. At step 350, adestination FAX telephone number is registered to determine whether thedestination FAX phone number is a FAX-network ID. At step 352, when thedestination FAX phone number is a FAX-network ID, the FAX communication102 is stored in a FAX transmit buffer 122. At step 354, when thedestination FAX phone number is a FAX phone number, the FAXcommunication 102 is routed to the destination FAX machine via the PSTN.Finally at step 356, the line is disconnected when the sender FAXmachine 104 is on hook.

[0094]FIG. 17A depicts additional procedural method steps 454 forsending the FAX packet 112 to the FAX-network server 150 of step 364,for example, in the first converter 120, as depicted in FIGS. 7 and 10.At step 366, a sender side LAN end station transmit channel 130 ismonitored until at decision step 367 it is determined that sub-streamtransmission can begin. In this embodiment, transmission can begin whenthe transmit channel 130 is idle. At step 368, a pause control isasserted to the sender side LAN end station 110. At step 370, a LANtransmit channel 132 is arbitrated for sending the FAX packet 112. Atstep 371 the FAX packet 112 is transmitted to the FAX-network server 150via the LAN transmit channel 132. (Optional step 371-1 is discussedbelow in another embodiment.) At step 372, the pause control isde-asserted to the sender side LAN end station 110. Finally at step 374,the LAN transmit channel 132 is arbitrated to the sender side LAN endstation 110.

[0095]FIG. 18A depicts alternative procedure method steps 470 forreceiving the FAX packet 112/186 at the FAX-network server 150 andtransmitting FAX packet 112/186 to the destination IP address of step380, as depicted in FIG. 8. At step 382, a network packet, transmittedto the FAX-network server 150, is received on a server receive channel154. At step 384, an input filter 152 determines whether the networkpacket is a FAX packet 112/186. At step 386, a second extractor 162extracts the destination FAX-network ID from the FAX packet 112/186. Atstep 388, a search engine 164 determines the destination FAX IP addressfrom the mapping table 160 by using the destination FAX-network IDreceived from the second extractor 162 as a key. At step 390, a packetmodifier 166 then modifies a destination IP address and a source IPaddress in a header of the FAX packet 112/186. The packet modifier 166replaces the destination IP address of the FAX packet 112/186 with thedestination FAX IP address and the source IP address of the FAX packet112/186 with an IP address the FAX-network server 150. Finally at step392, the FAX packet 112/186 is transmitted to the destination IPaddress.

[0096]FIG. 19 depicts additional procedural method steps 474 forintercepting the FAX packet 112 of step 400, for example, in the secondconverter 170, as depicted in FIG. 9. At step 402, a network packet180/112 is received on a receive channel 179 of the receiver side LANend station 108. At steps 404 and 406, a session port number and asource address of the network packet 180 are analyzed. Finally at step408, when the session port number equals the predetermined session portnumber and the source address matches the FAX-network server IP address,the network packet 180/112 is identified as a FAX packet 112 and isstored in the FAX receive buffer 144. Otherwise at step 409, the networkpacket 180 is transmitted to the LAN end station 108.

[0097]FIG. 20 depicts additional procedural method steps 476 forestablishing a communication link with the receiver FAX 106 of step 422,for example, in the second converter 170, as depicted in FIG. 9. At step424, a ring/answer request is generated to the receiver FAX machine 106with a PBX emulation device (not shown). At step 426, a communicationchannel is established between the receiver FAX 106 and the PBXemulation device (not shown). At step 428, a FAX communication protocolis established with the receiver FAX 106. Finally at step 430, the FAXpacket 112 is retrieved from a FAX received buffer 144, and the FAXcommunication 102 is extracted.

[0098]FIG. 21 depicts additional procedural method steps 480 of thestart-up mode for detecting the receiver IP address of step 302, forexample, in the receiver converter 540, as depicted in FIG. 23. At step482, a transmit channel 572 is monitored for network packets 556transmitted by the receiver side LAN end station 508. At step 484, asource IP address in a header of the network packet 556 is detected andextracted. Finally at step 486, the source IP address is used as thereceiver IP address.

[0099] 2. Remote Access Appliance Control Apparatus

[0100] The IP Sharing method utilized by the FAX-through data networkdescribed above is not limited to the transmission of FAXcommunications. The protocol used by the FAX communication port of theconverter can be modified to utilize other established or new protocolsto enable connections to any device. The method of learning the IPaddress of a LAN end station and sharing it with an attached device isthe same. This sharing mechanism conserves network resources and reducesnetwork management effort.

[0101] For example, an appliance could be attached to the communicationport of an appliance converter. Each appliance, such as a VCR, a TV, anair conditioner, a security alarm, or a lighting system will use anestablished or user defined communication protocol to control the poweron/off, volume high/low, or other functional adjustments from a userthrough the data network. This protocol is most useful but is notlimited to receiving control commands from a “REMOTE” network user. Theuse of a network server and notification packets enables the remoteaccess control of the appliance as described for the FAX-through datanetwork. The invention can also be used to transfer status reportsgenerated by the appliance to the remote network user.

[0102] The appliance can send status report either autonomously andperiodically to the remote network user, or on request basis in responseto a command control packet sent from the user. The status reports maycontain user defined items such as temperature reading and a videosnapshot. The appliance is responsible for generating the status report,and packaging the status report with the user defined appliancecommunication protocol, and sending the report to the applianceconverter.

[0103] In addition, an end station IP address can be further shared bymultiple appliance converters in a daisy chain configuration. All theappliance converters in one chain share not only the IP address, butalso the network administration resources with a LAN end station. Thisresults in a significant reduction of the limited network administrationresources.

[0104] To describe the daisy chain configuration the followingterminology is introduced: a “First” converter in the chain is theconverter directly connected to the end station while the “Last”converter in the chain is directly connected to the LAN with additionalconverters therebetween. When a converter wants to send either anotification packet (as described above), or an appliance status reportpacket (status report in a network packet format), it needs to detect anidle state in the transmit channel of the previous stage converter orend station (for the “First” converter) before it transmits thenotification/status packet out to the LAN port. However, the converteris required to use a LAN Pause Control to stop the end station orprevious stage converter from sending any packets to the transmissionchannel during that period.

[0105] Due to this requirement, each converter needs to provide twofunctions to enable the daisy chain configuration to work. First, eachconverter is required to accept the pause control protocol from the nextconverter or LAN connection (for the last converter). Upon receivingthis pause control command, the converter will stop any transmission toLAN channel until the pause command is relinquished. Second, the Pausecontrol needs to be sent back to the previous stage converter or the endstation(for the first converter). This backward propagation of the pausecontrol can stop all the transmissions from the previous stage. Thissecond requirement is not unique to daisy chain configuration; both thesingle appliance configuration and FAX-through data network are requiredto accept a pause control from the LAN channel and forward back thepause control to the previous stage.

[0106] It should be noted that the IP sharing mechanism not only sharesthe IP address but also shares the network bandwidth with an endstation. Therefore, latency is induced when the end station is busy. Inthe daisy chain configuration, the condition may be aggravated sincemore than two parties are sharing the communication channel bandwidth.Therefore, appliances using the IP sharing mechanism should be limitedto non-real time applications. For example, application such as voiceconversations are not applicable, since they require a very stringentreal time response.

[0107] A. System Architecture

[0108] A first embodiment is described with reference to FIG. 22. Anappliance control apparatus 500, for asserting a control command 502 toan appliance 504 from a remote network user 506 using an appliancecommunication protocol, is depicted. The apparatus 500 includes anappliance side LAN end station 508 having an appliance IP address whichis shared by an appliance converter 540. An appliance control packet 510is generated by the remote network user 506 and includes a predefinedsession port number, an appliance network ID and the control command502. An appliance network server 520 receives the appliance controlpacket 510, extracts the appliance network ID, looks-up a correspondingdestination IP address in a mapping table (not shown), and forwards theappliance control packet 510 to the destination IP address. An applianceconverter 540 intercepts and identifies the appliance control packet510, extracts the control command 502 and asserts the control command502 to the appliance 504 using the appliance communication protocol.

[0109]FIG. 23 depicts the appliance converter 540 according to anembodiment of the invention 500. The appliance converter 540 includes areceive channel filter 542 that monitors an appliance converter receivechannel 543 for network packets 544/510 transmitted to the applianceside LAN end station 508. In order to identify and intercept theappliance control packet 510, a session port number of the networkpacket 544/510 must match the predefined session port number and asource IP address of the network packet 544/510 must match an IP addressof the appliance network server 520. Once identified, the appliancecontrol packet 510 is stored in an appliance receive buffer 546. Anetwork format to appliance format unpack unit 548 then extracts thecontrol command 502 from the appliance control packet 510 and forwardsthe control command 502 to the appliance 504 via an appliancecommunication port 550. The appliance communication port 550 establishesthe appliance communication protocol with the appliance 504 to assertthe control command 502.

[0110] The appliance communication protocol between the applianceconverter 510 and the appliance 504 is user defined. There are severalstandard communication protocols for a user to choose from such as RS232(serial interface), Centronics bus (Parallel interface), 12C (minicontrol interface), including several others. The user can choose todefine their own proprietary communication interface as well. Detailsregarding the communication interface will be apparent to those skilledin the art of appliances and are therefore not further described.

[0111]FIG. 24 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the remote appliancecontrol apparatus 500, wherein the appliance 504 is further configuredto also generate a status report 552 utilizing both a start-up mode andan operation mode. The appliance converter 540 further includes a sourceIP extractor 554 configured to detect and extract the appliance IPaddress by monitoring a transmit channel 572 for network packets 556transmitted by the appliance side LAN end station 508. Once theappliance IP address is determined, the source IP extractor 554generates a notification packet 558 including the predefined sessionport number in a header of the notification packet 558, the appliancenetwork ID and the appliance IP address. A startup switch 566 receivesthe notification packet 558 and transfers the notification packet 558 toan output 568 of the startup switch 566.

[0112] Until the notification packet 558 is transferred to the output568 of the startup switch 140, the appliance converter 540 is instart-up mode. During start-up mode, the appliance network ID and theappliance IP address are not registered with the appliance networkserver 520. Consequently, the appliance converter 540 is unable toreceive appliance control packets 510 from the remote network user 506.Once the notification packet 558 is transmitted to the appliance networkserver 520, the appliance converter 540 enters operation mode. Duringoperation mode, the FAX-network ID and the corresponding IP address ofthe appliance converter 540 are registered in a mapping table 530 of theappliance network server 520, thereby enabling the receipt of appliancecontrol packets 510 through the appliance control apparatus 500.

[0113] A transmit channel arbitrator 570 monitors an appliance side endstation transmit channel 572. Once the transmit channel 572 is idle thenotification packet 558 is transferred to the appliance network server520 via a transmit channel 574 of a LAN communication port 576. Theappliance converter 504 then enters operation mode allowing theappliance 504 to receive control commands 502. However, this embodimentrequires the remote network user 506 to generate a user notificationpacket 580 before the status report can be generated. The usernotification packet 580, includes the predefined session port number ina header of the user notification packet 580, a user network ID and auser IP address. The user notification packet 580 is then sent to theappliance network server 520. Once the user notification packet isreceived at the appliance network server 520, an entry in the mappingtable 530 (FIG. 24) is created including the user network ID and theuser IP address. The appliance control apparatus can then allow theappliance 504 to receive control commands 502 and transmit statusreports 552 to the remote network user 506.

[0114] During operation mode, the appliance control apparatus is able toreceive appliance control packets 510 and also generates status reports554. In order for the appliance control apparatus 500 to provide statusreports 554, an appliance transmit buffer 560 stores the status report552 received from the appliance 504 via the appliance communication port550. The appliance communication port 550 establishes a communicationlink with the appliance 504 using the appliance communication protocolas described above. An appliance to network package unit 562 thenreceives the status report 552 and converts the status report 552 to thenetwork packet format to generate a status report packet 564. The statusreport packet 564 includes the predefined session port number in anidentification field of the status report packet 564 and a user networkID of the remote network user 506.

[0115] The startup switch 566 receives both the notification packet 558and the status report packet 564. Once the notification packet 558 istransferred to an output 568 of the startup switch 566, the statusreport packet 564 is transferred to the output 568 thereafter. Thetransmit channel arbitrator 570 then monitors an appliance side endstation transmit channel 572, such that once the transmit channel 572 isidle the notification packet/status report packet 558/564 is transferredto the appliance network server 520 via a transmit channel 574 of a LANcommunication port 576. While the transmit channel arbitrator 570 istransmitting the notification packet 558 or status report packet 564, apause control command is asserted to end station 508 to stop it fromtransmitting network packets 556. Once transmission of the notificationpacket 558 or the status report packet 564 is finished, the pausecontrol command is de-asserted to enable the end station to transmit thenetwork packets 556.

[0116]FIG. 25 depicts the appliance network server 520 according to anembodiment of the invention 500. The appliance network server 520includes an input filter 522 that monitors a server receive channel 524for network packets transmitted to the appliance network server 520. Theinput filter 552 identifies whether a received network packet is anotification packet 558/580, a status report packet 564 or an appliancecontrol packet 510 based on an identification field of the networkpacket received. When a notification packet 558/580 is identified, afirst extractor 526 determines a network ID and an IP address containedin the notification packet 558/580 to create a new entry in the mappingtable 530. When an appliance control packet 510 or a status reportpacket 564 is identified, a second extractor 534 determines adestination network ID from the appliance control/status report packet510/564. A search engine 528 then determines a destination IP addressfrom the mapping table 530 using the destination network ID as a key. Apacket modifier 532 then replaces a destination IP address in theappliance control/status report packet 510/564 with the destination IPaddress and a source IP address in the appliance control/status reportpacket 510/564 with an IP address the application network server 520.

[0117]FIG. 26 depicts an alternative configuration of the appliancecontrol apparatus 500 according to an exemplary embodiment of theinvention for implementing a daisy chain configuration 600 of theappliance converters 540. The appliance control apparatus 600 includes aplurality of appliance converters 601 arranged in a daisy chainconfiguration between a LAN 602 and the appliance side LAN end station508. The following terminology of a first converter 604 and a lastconverter 606 is provided to illustrate the daisy chain configuration600: the first converter 604 is directly connected to the appliance sideLAN end station and the last converter 606 directly connected to theLAN. A plurality of appliances 608 are each attached to one of theplurality of appliance converters 601, such that each applianceconverter 540 has an attached appliance 504.

[0118] The interception and identification of the appliance controlpacket 510 begins with the last converter 606 and continues for each ofthe plurality of appliance converters 601 until the first converter 604is reached, such that the plurality of converters 601 are furtherconfigured to match the appliance network ID in the appliance controlpacket 510 with a network ID of the respective appliance converter 601.

[0119] In an alternative configuration of the remote access appliancecontrol apparatus 600, each of the appliances can also generate a statusreport 552. In order to provide the status reports 552, the applianceconverters 601 are configured as depicted in FIG. 23, with the exceptionof the transmit channel arbitrator 570. The transmit channel arbitrator570 monitors an appliance side end station transmit channel 574. Oncethe transmit channel 574 is idle, a LAN pause control is issued to theappliance LAN end station 508 and propagate through the plurality ofappliance converters 601 until the appliance sides LAN end station 508is reached. Following assertion of the pause control, the notificationpacket/status report packet 558/564 is transferred to the appliancenetwork server 520 via the transmit channel 574 of the LAN communicationport 576. Once the notification or status report packet 558/564 is sent,the pause control should be de-asserted. The de-assertion of the pausecontrol is issued to the previous stage appliance converter so that theit can begin transmitting network packets 556. De-assertion of the pausecontrol also propagates from the previous stage appliance converterthrough the plurality of appliance converters 601 until the applianceside LAN end station 508 is reached. This de-assertion of the pausecontrol will revive the transmit capability of the appliance converters601 and the LAN end station 508.

[0120]FIG. 27 depicts the appliance network server 520 according to anexemplary embodiment of the invention 500 for implementing the daisychain configuration 600 of the appliance converters 540. The appliancenetwork server 520 includes the input filter 522 that receives a networkpacket on a server receive channel 524 and identifies the network packetas either a notification packet 558/580, a status report packet 564 oran appliance control packet 510. When a notification packet 558/580 isreceived, a first extractor 526 determines a network ID and an IPaddress contained in the notification packet 558/580 to create a newentry in the mapping table 530. A second extractor 534 determines adestination network ID from the appliance control/status report packet510/564. Once the network ID is extracted, a search engine 528determines a destination IP address from the mapping table 530 using thedestination network ID as a key. A packet modifier 532 then replaces adestination IP address in the status report/appliance control packet520/564 with the destination IP address and a source IP address in thestatus report/appliance control packet 510/564 with an IP address theapplication network server 520. In order to implement the daisy chainconfiguration 600, an IP address field 610 of the mapping table 530 ismodified to allow duplicate appliance IP addresses.

[0121] B. Operation

[0122]FIG. 28 depicts a procedure 700 of a first embodiment forasserting a control command 502 to an appliance 504 from a remotenetwork user 506 using an appliance control apparatus 500 and anappliance communication protocol, for example, as depicted in FIG. 22.The appliance control apparatus functions in a start-up mode and anoperation mode. The appliance control apparatus 500 at step 702 beginsin startup mode, wherein an appliance IP address of an appliance sideLAN end station 508 is detected. At step 710, a notification packet 558is generated including a predefined session port number, the applianceIP address and an appliance network ID. At step 712, the notificationpacket 558 is sent to an appliance network server 520. At step 728, thenotification packet 558 is received at the appliance network server 520.The appliance network server 520 includes a mapping table 530 between adestination network ID and a destination IP address. The appliance IPaddress and the appliance network ID contained within the notificationpacket 558 are added to the mapping table 530 in order to enable theassertion of the control command 502 to the appliance 504.

[0123] Operation mode begins at step 730, wherein an appliance controlpacket 510 is generated including the predefined session port number,the appliance network ID and the control command 502. At step 732, theappliance control packet 510 is sent to the appliance network server520. At step 734, the appliance control packet 510 is received by theappliance network server 540 and then re-transmitted to a destination IPaddress. However, destination IP address is first looked-up in themapping table 530, using the appliance network ID as a key, in order tore-transmit the appliance control packet 510 to the destination IPaddress. At step 738, the appliance control packet 510 is intercepted atan appliance converter 540. At step 750, the control command 502 isextracted from the appliance control packet 510. At step 752, acommunication link is established with the appliance 504. Finally atstep 754, the control command 502 is asserted to the appliance 504 usingthe appliance communication protocol. Steps 730 through 754 are repeatedduring operation mode of the appliance control apparatus 500 for eachrequested control command 502.

[0124]FIG. 29 depicts additional procedural method steps 703 of thestart-up mode for detecting the appliance IP address of step 702, forexample, in the appliance converter 540, as depicted in FIG. 24. At step704, a transmit channel 572 is monitored for network packets 556transmitted by the appliance side LAN end station 508. At step 706, asource IP address in a header of the network packet 556 is detected andextracted. Finally at step 708, the source IP address is used as theappliance IP address.

[0125]FIG. 30 depicts additional procedural method steps 739 of thestart-up mode for sending the notification packet 558 of step 712, forexample, in the appliance converter 540, as depicted in FIG. 24. At step740, an appliance side LAN end station transmit channel 572 ismonitored. At step 742, when the transmit channel 572 is idle, a pausecontrol is asserted to the appliance side LAN end station 508. At step744, a LAN transmit channel 574 is then arbitrated for sending thenotification packet 558. At step 745, the notification packet 558 istransmitted to the appliance network sender 520 via the transmit channel572. At step 746, the pause control is de-asserted to the appliance sideLAN end station 558. Finally at step 748, the LAN transmit channel 574is arbitrated to the appliance side LAN end station 508.

[0126]FIG. 31 depicts additional procedural method steps 758 forreceiving the notification packet 558/580 at the appliance networkserver 520 of step 728, as depicted in FIGS. 25 and 27. At step 760, anetwork packet is received from an appliance network server receivechannel 524. At step 762, it is determined whether the network packet isa notification packet 558/580. At steps 764 and 766, a source IP addressand a source network ID are extracted from the notification packet558/580 by the first extractor 526. At step 768, a new entry is createdin the mapping table 530 including the source network ID and the sourceIP address. Finally at step 769, these steps are repeated until each newappliance converter 540 or each new remote network user 506 has added tothe appliance control apparatus 500.

[0127]FIG. 32 depicts additional procedure method steps 769 forreceiving the appliance control packet 510 at the appliance networkserver 520 and transmitting the appliance control packet 510 to thedestination IP address of step 734, as depicted in FIGS. 25 and 27. Atstep 770, a network packet, transmitted to the appliance network server540, is received on a server receive channel 524. At step 772, an inputfilter 522 determines whether the network packet is an appliance controlpacket 510. At step 774, a second extractor 534 extracts the destinationappliance network ID from the appliance control packet 510. At step 776,a search engine 528 determines the destination appliance IP address fromthe mapping table 530 by using the destination appliance network IDreceived from the second extractor 534 as a key. At step 778, a packetmodifier 532 then modifies a destination IP address and a source IPaddress in the appliance control packet 510. The packet modifier 532replaces the destination IP address of the appliance control packet 510with the destination appliance IP address and the source IP address ofthe appliance control packet 510 with an IP address the appliancenetwork server 540. Finally at step 780, the appliance control packet510 is transmitted to the destination IP address.

[0128]FIG. 33 depicts additional procedural method steps 713 forintercepting the appliance control packet 510 of step 738, for example,in the appliance converter 540, as depicted in FIG. 23. At step 714, anetwork packet 544/510 transmitted the receiver side LAN end station508, is received on an appliance converter receive channel 543. At steps71, 718, and 720, a session port number, a source address, and adestination network ID of the network packet 544/510 are analyzed. Atstep 722, when the session port number equals the predetermined sessionport number, the source address matches the appliance server IP address,and the destination network ID matches the network ID, the appliancecontrol packet 510 is stored in an appliance received buffer 546.Otherwise at step 721, the network packet 554 is transmitted to thereceiver side LAN end station.

[0129]FIG. 34 depicts additional procedural method steps 832 forintercepting the appliance control packet 510 of step 738, for example,in the daisy chain configuration 600 of the appliance converters 601, asdepicted in FIGS. 24 and 26. At step 834, a network packet 556/510,transmitted to the receiver side LAN end station 508, is received on anappliance converter receive channel 543. At steps 836 and 838, a sessionport number and a source IP address of the network packet 556/510 areanalyzed by a last appliance converter 606. At step 840, when thesession port number equals the predetermined session port number and thesource IP address matches the appliance server IP address, a destinationnetwork ID of the network packet 556 is analyzed. Otherwise, the networkpacket 556 is transmitted to the LAN end station 508 via the pluralityof converters 601. At step 842, when the destination network ID matchesthe appliance network ID of the respective appliance converter, thenetwork packet 556 is stored in an appliance receive buffer 546.Otherwise, the network packet 556 is transmitted to the next applianceconverter along the plurality of daisy chained appliance converters 601.Steps 834 through 840 are repeated until an appliance network IP of arespective appliance converter matches the destination network ID.

[0130]FIG. 35 depicts additional procedural method steps 800 wherein theappliance 504 generates a status report 552 and transmits the statusreport 552 to the remote network user 506, for example as depicted inFIGS. 22 and 26. At step 802, a user notification packet 580 isgenerated including the predefined session port number in a header ofthe user notification packet 580, a user network ID and a user IPaddress. At step 804, the user notification packet 580 is sent to theappliance network server 520. At step 806, the user notification packet580 is received at the appliance network server 520. An entry in themapping table 580 is then created including the user network ID and userIP address. At step 808, an appliance status report 552 including statusinformation of the appliance 504 is generated. At step 810, the statusreport 552 is sent to the appliance converter 540. At step 812, thestatus report 552 is converted to a network packet format to generate astatus report packet 564 including the predefined session port number inan identification field of the status report packet 564 and the usernetwork ID.

[0131] Once the status report packet 552 is generated, at step 814, thestatus report packet 564 is transmitted to the appliance network server520. Following the receipt of the status report packet 564 at step 816,a lookup is performed of the destination IP address in the mapping table530 of the appliance network server 520 using the user network ID as akey. At step 818, the appliance control packet 510 is transmitted to thedestination IP address. Finally at step 820, the status report packet564 is received at the remote network user 506 for review of theappliance status report 552. The status report 552 of the appliance 504is either generated in response to a control command 502 request fromthe remote network user 506 or automatically generated and periodicallytransmitted to a remote network user 506.

[0132] 3. Latency and Bandwidth Control

[0133] In another aspect, an embodiment of the present inventionprovides latency and bandwidth control for data transmission throughpublic networks or WAN, so that the data can have controllable andpredictable latency and bandwidth. The present invention improvestransmission of data that is sensitive to latency and bandwidthconstraints such as voice and video. Transmission of FAX data alsobenefits from the present invention, as high priority FAX transmissionscan be made over public networks or WAN without the latency or delay ofprior systems.

[0134] A Architecture

[0135] Directing attention to FIG. 36, the architecture of converters120, 170 and 606 is described with respect to additional embodiments ofthe present invention. While the following discussion focuses on FAXdevices as used in connection with the present invention, it is to beunderstood that other devices such as network appliances and telephonyequipment can also be used in connection with the present invention. Asdescribed above, transmit buffers 122, 560 reports buffer status to thetransmit channel arbitrator 128. The status includes priority of thesub-stream and data containment in the buffers 122, 560, e.g. empty,almost empty, half full, full, or watermark of the buffer. As usedherein, sub-stream refers to the flow of packets 112 to transmit channelarbitrator 128. While transmit buffer 560 has been described above interms of appliance control packets, in an embodiment of the presentinvention, it is to be understood that the appliances referred toinclude apparatus for video, such as a cameras, media players such asDVD player, or other sources of video, as well as a video displaydevice, such as a monitor. Similarly, in an embodiment of the presentinvention, appliances may include microphones and speakers, or otherapparatus for interactive voice communication. In this embodiment, thetransmit channel arbitrators 128, 570 include latency control module 901that analyzes the status information to determine a level of urgency forthe sub-stream data and how much bandwidth in the transmit channel 132,572 is required. To reduce sub-stream latency, the transmit channelarbitrators 128, 560 can reserve bandwidth in the transmit channel 132,572 for the sub-stream transmission and prevent the end station fromtransmitting primary stream data packets by using the pause controlmethods described above. As referred to herein, primary stream refers tothe flow of packets 137, 556 over transmit channels 130, 572 to transmitcontrol arbitrators 128, 570.

[0136] B. Operation

[0137] Referring to FIG. 17B, transmit buffer status is monitored atstep 366. At decision step 366-1, the time to start transmitting thesub-stream is determined by the latency control module 901 in thetransmit channel arbitrator 128, 570. When the latency control module901 needs to allocate the shared stream 132 to the sub-stream, thelatency control module 901 asserts pause control as described above tothe end station to preempt the primary stream. As the latency controlmodule 901 has the capability to assert pause control without having towait for an idle channel, preempting the primary stream as necessaryprovides latency control and guarantees a specific time at which thesub-stream data can be transmitted.

[0138] Bandwidth control is performed at decision step 371-1, whereinthe transmission of high priority sub-stream packets over LAN transmitchannel 130, 572 is monitored to determine when all of them have beentransmitted. While the high priority packets are being transmitted, thepause control remains applied to the primary stream and the sub-streamis transmitted. As described above in step 372, the pause control isde-asserted from the sender side LAN end station when all of the highpriority sub-stream packets have been transmitted. This additional step371-1 guarantees that all the real time sub-stream data can be deliveredwithin a determined time and bandwidth control is achieved.

[0139] The priority level of each sub-stream and primary stream can befixed or dynamically changed to assure both the primary data stream andthe sub-stream have proper network transmission performance in terms oflatency and bandwidth control. Priority can be user-dependent, withdifferent priority levels associated with various user ID's. A user'spriority (and identification) can be determined from a field placedwithin the packets that are transmitted on behalf of the user. Networkprotocols such as Differential Service, RSVP, and the like, may also beused to arbitrate priority once the packets are transmitted over a LAN,WAN, or public network.

[0140] 4. Network Field Type as Packet Identifier

[0141] In an embodiment, a network packet type is inserted into thepacket as an identifier, replacing “session port” of the embodimentsdescribed above. Different network packet type identifiers are used todifferentiate between FAX-data packets and FAX-notification packets.This allows input filter 152 in FAX server 150 in FIG. 8 to directFAX-data and FAX-notification packet to different routes. By adding theadditional decision step of checking for network type field embedded ina received packet (decision step 323 in FIG. 14B and decision step 383in FIG. 18B), the FAX-network server 150 can easily handle FAXnotification packets and FAX data packets.

[0142] The second converter can also utilize the network type field tointercept FAX transmissions (decision step 403 in FIG. 19B).

[0143] The embedded network type field also can be used to differentiatebetween appliance control packets and appliance notification packets,thus allowing input filter 522 in FIGS. 25 & 27 to route appliancecontrol packets and appliance notification packets to different routes.Directing attention to FIG. 31B, decision step 761 is added to check thepacket for a network field identifier. Similarly, decision step 771 isadded to FIG. 32B. In FIG. 33B, at decision step 715, the packet isexamined to determine whether an appliance network field exists and, ifso, control continues to decision step 717 where a determination is madewhether the network type field indicates the packet is an appliancecontrol packet. If the network type field indicates the packets areappliance control packets, then control continues to decision step 720,as described in FIG. 33A. If decision steps 715 or 717 are evaluated asfalse, the packet is routed to the end station and control returns todecision step 714. Similarly, decision steps 835 and 837 in FIG. 34Breplace decision steps 836 and 838 in FIG. 34A, respectively.

[0144] When used in combination with the hierarchical, distributedmapping tables of FIG. 37, destination FAX ID's can be resolved locally,and FAX-data packets can be routed directly to the receiving device toLAN converter. This eliminates the need to transmit the FAX data packetsto the FAX server as described in embodiments described above. Using theFAX network packet type information, the receiving device to LANconverter can identify and intercept the FAX data packets. destinationFAX-ID can be resolved locally, 1st converter can route the FAX-datapacket directly to 2nd converter.

[0145] 5. Automatic and Hierarchical PSTN Number Mapping andQuery/Resolution

[0146] In another aspect, the present invention provides automaticmapping of IP addresses to PSTN numbers so that the use of a public datanetwork such as the Internet for transmission is transparent to a userof a heritage FAX machine or other telephony device, or networkappliance. Previous attempts at utilizing data networks require a userto use either an IP address or an e-mail address as a FAX number. Suchapproaches required the user to perform network administration taskssuch as manually configuring information into an End station or softwareapplication. In an embodiment of the present invention, a user can senda FAX from a legacy FAX machine to another legacy FAX machine using adevice identifier similar to a PSTN number. The device number is mappedto an IP address, the FAX data is sent to the recipient over the publicnetwork, and delivered to the recipient's legacy FAX machine.

[0147] Mapping the PSTN number to an IP address according to anembodiment of the present invention involves several broad steps:examine the end station traffic, determine the IP address, and map theIP address to FAX-ID number. This process is automated and completelytransparent to user. The user only needs to know the FAX-ID number inexactly same format as a heritage PSTN telephone number of any FAXmachine in the FAX network.

[0148] A. Architecture

[0149]FIG. 37 illustrates the architecture of an embodiment of thepresent invention. PSTN mapping to IP addresses has applications in boththe FAX network and the appliance network described above. A user of FAXmachine 104 or other device only needs to know an access number that isassociated with the receiving device 106, 504. In the preferredembodiment, the access number resembles a PSTN number having an areacode, prefix, and extension, such as 777-555-2222 that is associatedwith the receiver device 106, 504, 608. The sending device converter(converter 120) uses this number to search the mapping table 900 storedon the network server 150, 520 for an IP address that maps to the PSTNnumber. Optionally, mapping tables 902, 908 may also be stored on thedevice to LAN converters 120, 170, 606 and/or mapping tables 906, 912can be stored on local servers 904, 910. These optional mapping tablescan contain recently used device ID numbers, regional or local device IDnumbers, or whatever subset of mapping information is convenient, thuseliminating the need to access mapping table 900 and reducing trafficacross the public network or WAN. Sending machine 104 (for example, aFAX machine) has a device ID of 777-555-1000 and receiving machine 106,608 has a device ID of 777-555-2222.

[0150] Returning to FIG. 36, destination ID extractor 920 employs logicthat examines data in packets to recognize a device ID number, which isused as a key for searching mapping tables 900, 902, 906, 908, and 912for the IP address corresponding to the device ID of the destination orreceiving machine. When the corresponding IP address is located in amapping table, it is forwarded to the packet modifier 922. The packetmodifier 922 prepares packets to be transmitted by inserting into thepackets the IP address located in the mapping table in place of thedestination or receiving device ID number, as originally contained inthe packets.

[0151] B. Operation

[0152] Returning to FIG. 37, when a user wishes to send a FAX, orremotely operate a network appliance, the user dials a device ID numberthat corresponds to the device at the recipient's site. In the preferredembodiment, device ID numbers are in the form of PSTN numbers, bututilize numbers that aren't assigned to telephone service subscribers.This way, the number dialed can easily be recognized as a number thatmaps to an IP address rather than a FAX communication that has to besent over the PSTN. An example of a preferred device ID number would be777-555-1000, as 777 is currently an unassigned area code.

[0153] In addition to forming the FAX transmission or data sent to anappliance into packets for transmission over a computer network, thesending converter 120 includes logic that monitors the data transmission102,184 to detect instances of device ID numbers. the device ID numberis included in a destination field of the packets that are to betransmitted. Once a device ID number is detected, the sending converter120 requests the LAN server 1 to forward a matching request over the WANor public network to the device network server 150, 520 to match thedetected device ID number with its corresponding IP address. Inalternative embodiments, the sending converter 120 can attempt to matchthe device ID numbers with IP addresses in its locally stored mappingtable 902. If no match is found, the query generator 930 (FIG. 38) ofthe sending converter 120 generates a matching request in the form of aquery packet having the destination device ID number as mapping key tothe local device server 904 to check the device ID number against itslocally stored mapping table 906. The query packet is transmitted whenquery switch 932 receives a “no match” signal from the mapping table902, 908. This process can be repeated for any number of levels of localservers. Local server 904 receives the query packet, extracts thedestination device ID number, and uses it as a key to search mappingtable 906. If still no match is found, then the query packet modifier934 (FIG. 39) places the IP address of the network device server 150,520 into the query packet and routes the query over the public networkto the device network server 150, 520. This routing to network server150, 520 can be automated by placing entries in the mapping table 906that associates “no match” with the IP addresses of the network server150, 520.

[0154] If the IP address is matched in table 906, resolution packetgenerator 936 creates a resolution packet to be sent back to device toLAN converter 120. The resolution packet contains the device ID numberand its associated IP address. The query and resolution selector 938routes resolution packets back to the device to LAN server 120.

[0155] Directing attention to FIG. 40, most of the architecture of thedevice network server is similar to that of the local server 904, 910.However, the device network server 150, 520 doesn't generate upstreamquery packets as it has a more inclusive mapping table and is thus morelikely to find a match. The update packet generator 940 utilizes searchoperation history information from the search engine to generate updatepackets that are distributed to downstream servers and device to LANconverters. Updates provide frequently used entries which are missingfrom local server mapping tables or device to LAN mapping tables.However, the resolution packet generated by the local server 904 or thedevice network server 150, 520 can be used to update the mapping tables906, 912, thus reducing the amount of update packets generated anddedicating them to local server 904, 910. Resolution packet generator944 creates resolution packets in response to received query packets ina manner similar to resolution packet generator 936.

[0156] Once the resolution packet is received by the device to LANconverter 120, the IP address is inserted into the mapping table 902 andalso the data packets' destination field, replacing the device IDnumber. The data packets are then routed across the LAN or publicnetwork to the receiving LAN. If the receiver device ID matches thedevice ID of the converter 170, 540 606, the packets are converted bythe device-to-LAN converter 170, 540, 606 into data that is recognizableby the receiving device 106, 504, 608 and sent to the receiving device106, 504, 608.

[0157] The device network server 150, 520 collects destination IPaddress resolution history and determines which local server needs to beupdated. Device network server 150, 520 updates mapping tables 906, 912by sending update packets to local servers 904, 910. The update packetis similar in form to the FAX notification packet described above, butcontains mapping information relating specific device ID's to IPaddresses. When the local servers 904, 910 receive the update packet,they extract the entry information from the packet and insert it intotheir local mapping tables 906, 910. Optionally, this same updateprocess may be extended to mapping tables 902, 908, with update packetsgenerated either by device network server 150, 520, or local server 906,910. Generation of update packets can be based on user definedalgorithms, such as scheduled updates based on network usage or otherinformation sources, or criteria such as history of search operationrequest from incoming FAX-data packets or appliance control packets.This allows efficient usage of storage space on local mapping tables;for example, mapping table 902 may contain a different set of entriesfrom mapping table 908, and mapping table 906 may contain a differentset of entries from mapping table 912. Preferably, frequently usedentries are updated to mapping tables as close to the user as possible,thus reducing network traffic and improving transmission efficiency.

[0158]FIG. 41 illustrates in flow diagram form the logical sequence ofsteps executed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.Method 1000 may be embodied as a software stored on a medium which, whenexecuted on a computer. Detect a receiver IP address of a receiver sideLAN end station (step 1002). Generate a notification packet includingthe receiver IP address (step 1004). Send a notification packet to alocal FAX server and to a central FAX server (step 1006). Receive thenotification packet at the FAX network server (step 1008). Establish acommunication between a first converter and the sender FAX machine (step1010). Receive the FAX communication from the sender FAX machine (step1012). Generate a FAX data packet including a FAX transmission (step1014). Query and resolve the receiver IP address (step 1020). Send theFAX data packet to the receiver converter (step 1022). Intercept the FAXpacket at the second converter (step 1024). Extract the FAXcommunication from the FAX data packet (step 1026). Establishcommunication with the receiver FAX machine (step 1028). Transmit theextracted FAX communication to the receiver FAX machine (step 1030).Repeat steps 1010 through 1030 for remaining FAX requests.

[0159]FIG. 42 further illustrates the optional steps executed to queryand receive the IP address of the receiver side LAN end station of step1020. Extract FAX network ID number for the receiver side LAN endstation (step 1020-2). Look up a receiver FAX IP address in a mappingtable (step 1020-4). If there is a match between the extracted FAXnetwork ID number and the IP address (decision step 1020-6) then thefirst converter receives a resolution packet, extracts data and uses theextracted data to update a mapping table internal to the converter (step1020-8) and modify the FAX data packet by replacing the destination IPaddress stored within the FAX data packet with the resolved receiver IPaddress(step 1020-10).

[0160] If there is no match between the extracted FAX network ID numberand the IP address (decision step 1020-6) then generate a query packetincluding the receiver FAX ID (step 1020-12), transmit the query packetto a local FAX server (step 1020-14), extract the receiver FAX networkID from the query packet (step 1020-22 ), and look up a receiver FAX IPaddress in a mapping table internal to the local FAX server using theFAX network ID number as a key (step 1020-24),.

[0161] If there is a match between the FAX ID and IP address in the FAXserver's mapping table (decision step 1020-26) then generate aresolution packet which includes the IP address located in the mappingtable and the FAX ID number of the receiving fax machine (step 1020-28).Transmit the resolution packet to the first converter (step 1020-30).The first converter receives a resolution packet, extracts data and usesthe extracted data to update a mapping table internal to the converter(step 1020-8) and modifies the FAX data packet by replacing thedestination IP address stored within the FAX data packet with theresolved receiver IP address(step 1020-10).

[0162] If there is no match between the FAX ID and IP address in the FAXserver's mapping table (decision step 1020-26) then modify the querypacket by replacing the source IP address of the query packet with thelocal FAX server IP address (step 1020-32). Transmit the query packet toa central FAX server (step 1020-34). Extract the receiver FAX network IDnumber from the query packet (step 1020-42). Look up a receiver FAX IPaddress in the central server's mapping table using the receiver FAXnetwork ID as a key (step 1020-44). Generate a resolution packet whichincludes the destination IP address of the receiver side secondconverter and FAX ID of the receiver FAX machine (step 1020-46).Transmit the resolution packet to the sender side converter that updatesthe mapping table internal to the local FAX server (step 1020-48).

[0163] The first converter receives a resolution packet, extracts dataand uses the extracted data to update a mapping table internal to theconverter (step 1020-8) and modifies the FAX data packet by replacingthe destination IP address stored within the FAX data packet with theresolved receiver IP address(step 1020-10).

[0164] 6. Device ID Grouping

[0165] In another aspect, the present invention assigns similar deviceID's to devices organized in a local are network topology in anappliance network that shares the same end station IP address. Thedevice ID's for individual devices in the topology can be distinguishedby assigning a least significant digit in an address referencing thegroup of devices. In the preferred embodiment, the local area networktopology of network appliance devices is a daisy chain. By referencingthe group of devices with a device ID number similar to a prefix usedfor PSTN telephone numbers, less significant digits concatenated to theprefix can be varied to reference individual devices in the group. Themapping tables 900, 902, 906, 908, 912 can store the device ID numbersin their full form with the IP address of the group of devices: DEVICEID IP ADDRESS 408-555-0001 198.15.12.8 408-555-0002 198.15.12.8408-555-0003 198.15.12.8 408-555-0004 198.15.12.8 408-555-0005198.15.12.8 408-555-0006 198.15.12.8 408-555-0007 198.15.12.8408-555-0008 198.15.12.8 408-555-0009 198.15.12.8 408-555-0010198.15.12.8

[0166] In an alternative embodiment, the lesser significant digits canbe disregarded by mapping tables 900, 902, 906, 908, 912 and theindividual device can be resolved by the device to LAN converter 120,170, 606, which determines the destination device by examining thenetwork type field in the packet or the organization of the data in thepacket itself. In this embodiment, a mapping table entry appears in thefollowing form: DEVICE ID IP ADDRESS 408-555-00** 198.15.12.8

[0167] The “*” symbol indicates a wildcard or insignificant digit thatis not used for searches in mapping tables. Varying numbers of wildcardscan be utilized, depending on the number of devices within the group.

[0168] Exemplary embodiments have been described with reference tospecific configurations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate thatvarious changes and modifications can be made while remaining within thescope of the claims. It is to be understood that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of various embodiments of the presentinvention have been set forth in the foregoing description, togetherwith details of the structure and function of various embodiments of theinvention, this disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be madein detail, especially in matters of structure and arrangement of partswithin the principles of the present invention to the full extentindicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which theappended claims are expressed. For example, the converters of theinvention can be used to handle both FAX communication and appliancecontrol packet or status report packets. In addition, although thepreferred embodiment described herein is directed to a FAX-through datanetwork, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that theteachings of the present invention can be applied to other systems, forremote access control of virtually any apparatus provided acommunication protocol is defined.

[0169] The invention provides many advantages over known techniques. Thepresent invention includes the ability to share the IP address of a LANend station, thereby eliminating the need for additional IP addresses.This feature results in apparatus wherein each individual FAX is notrequired to assume full data network communication protocol operations,which are left to the LAN end station. Consequently, networkadministration effort required to manage additional FAX devices isnegligible. In addition, the invention also eliminates local and longdistance toll cost charges for FAX transmissions which can becomeexpensive. Moreover, the invention allows remote access control ofappliances which promotes the mobility that is now so prevalent in oursociety.

[0170] Having disclosed exemplary embodiments and the best mode,modifications and variations may be made to the disclosed embodimentswhile remaining within the scope of the invention as defined by thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A FAX-through data network apparatus configuredto transmit a FAX communication from a sender FAX machine to a receiverFAX machine without routing a signal through a PSTN, comprising: areceiver side LAN end station having a receiver IP address; a senderside LAN end station having a sender IP address; a first converterconfigured to receive the FAX communication from the sender FAX machineand convert the FAX communication to a network packet format to generatea FAX packet including a FAX-network ID for the receiver FAX machine; aFAX-network server configured to receive the FAX packet, extract theFAX-network ID, look up the an IP address associated with theFAX-network ID in a mapping table, and forward the FAX packet to the IPaddress found in the mapping table; and a second converter configured tointercept and identify the FAX packet, extract the FAX communicationfrom the FAX packet, establish a communication link with the receiverFAX machine without routing a signal through the PSTN, and transmit theFAX communication to the receiver FAX machine.
 2. The apparatus of claim1 , wherein the FAX packet includes a FAX network type field thatidentifies the FAX packet as either a FAX data packet or a FAXnotification packet.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein theFAX-network ID has a format similar to a PSTN number.
 4. The apparatusof claim 2 , wherein the FAX data packet contains data representing theFAX communication.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the FAXnotification packet contains the FAX-network ID and an IP addressassociated with the FAX-network ID.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 ,wherein the first converter is comprised of: a FAX transmit bufferconfigured to store the FAX communication received from the sender FAXvia a FAX communication port, wherein the FAX communication portestablishes a communication with the sender FAX machine without routinga signal through the PSTN; a FAX to network package unit configured toreceive the FAX communication and convert the FAX communication to thenetwork packet format to generate the FAX packet; and a transmit channelarbitrator configured to monitor a sender side end station transmitchannel, such that the FAX packet is transferred to the FAX-networkserver via a transmit channel of a LAN communication port.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 6 , wherein the transmit channel arbitrator includeslogic that directs the transfer the FAX packet when the transmit channelis idle.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the transmit channelarbitrator includes a latency control module that monitors the transmitbuffer for priority status data, and upon detecting priority status datain the transmit buffer, preempts the transmit channel and makes thetransmit channel available for high priority transmission.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 6 , wherein the transmit channel is reserved for theduration of the high priority data transmission.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 6 , wherein the first converter includes a mapping tablecontaining at least one entry associating a FAX-network ID with an IPaddress, the first converter configured to search the mapping tableusing the receiver FAX-network ID as a key and, if a matching IP addressis found in the mapping table, to insert the found IP address into theFAX packet and send the FAX packet to the second converter withoutrouting it through the FAX-network server.
 11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sender FAX machine also receives FAX communications, suchthat the first converter is further comprised of: a source IP extractorconfigured to detect the sender IP address by monitoring packetstransmitted by the sender side LAN end station to generate anotification packet including a FAX network packet type field, thesender FAX-network ID and the sender IP address; wherein the transmitchannel arbitrator is further configured to monitor the sender side endstation transmit channel, and transmit the notification packet/FAXpacket to the FAX-network server via the transmit channel of the LANcommunication port; a receive channel filter configured to monitorpackets transmitted to the sender side LAN end station in order toidentify and intercept the FAX packet; a FAX receive buffer configuredto store the FAX packet; and a network format to FAX format unpack unitconfigured to extract the FAX communication from the FAX packet andforward the FAX communication to the sender FAX machine via the FAXcommunication port, such that the FAX communication port establishes acommunication with the sender FAX machine without routing a signalthrough the PSTN.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein theFAX-network server is comprised of: an input filter configured toreceive a network packet and identify a notification packet and a FAXdata packet based on the network packet type field; a first extractorconfigured to determine the destination FAX-network ID from the FAXpacket; a FAX-network server mapping table containing at least one entryassociating a FAX-network ID with an IP address; a search engineconfigured to determine the destination FAX IP address from theFAX-network mapping table using the destination FAX-network ID as a key;and a packet modifier configured to replace a destination IP address ofthe FAX packet with the destination FAX IP address and a source IPaddress of the FAX packet with a FAX-network server IP address.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a second extractor configuredto determine a FAX-network ID and an IP address contained in thenotification packet to create a new entry in the FAX-network servermapping table.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the FAX-networkserver is local to the sender side LAN end station.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 14 , further including a remotely located FAX-network server, theremotely located FAX-network server in communication with the localFAX-network server via a public computer network, the remotely locatedFAX-network server including a mapping table containing at least oneFAX-network ID and an IP address associated with the FAX-network ID,such that the local FAX-network server can query the remotely locatedFAX-network server using a FAX-network ID as a key and the remotelylocated FAX-network server can return an IP address associated with theFAX-network ID used as a key.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 , whereinadditional levels of FAX-network servers containing mapping tables arein communication with the local FAX-network server and the remotelylocated FAX-network server to provide query/resolution of FAX-network IDand associated IP address information.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15 ,wherein mapping table update information providing FAX-network ID andassociated IP address information is shared between the localFAX-network server and the remotely located FAX-network server.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second converter is comprised of: asource IP extractor configured to detect the receiver IP address bymonitoring packets transmitted by the receiver side LAN end station togenerate a notification packet including the receiver FAX-network ID andthe receiver IP address; a transmit channel arbitrator configured tomonitor a receiver side end station transmit channel and transfer thenotification packet to the FAX-network server via a transmit channel ofa LAN communication port; a receive channel filter configured to monitorpackets transmitted to the receiver side LAN end station in order toidentify and intercept the FAX packet; a FAX receive buffer configuredto store the FAX packet; and a network format to FAX format unpack unitconfigured to extract the FAX communication from the FAX packet andforward the FAX communication to the receiver FAX machine via a FAXcommunication port, such that the FAX communication port establishes thecommunication with the receiver FAX machine without routing a signalthrough the PSTN.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the receiverFAX machine also transmits FAX communications, such that the secondconverter is further comprised of: a FAX transmit buffer configured tostore the FAX communication received from the receiver FAX via a FAXcommunication port, wherein the FAX communication port establishes acommunication with the receiver FAX machine without routing a signalthrough the PSTN; a FAX to network package unit configured to receivethe FAX communication and convert the FAX communication to generate theFAX data packet including the destination FAX-network ID; and a startupswitch configured to receive the notification packet and the FAX datapacket, such that once the notification packet is transferred to anoutput of the startup switch, the FAX data packet is transferred to theoutput thereafter, wherein the transmit channel arbitrator is furtherconfigured to monitor a receiver side end station transmit channel, andtransfer the notification packet/FAX packet to the FAX-network servervia the transmit channel of the LAN communication port.
 20. Theapparatus of claim 1 , wherein the FAX-through data network is furtherconfigured to transmit a FAX communication from the receiver FAX machineto the sender FAX machine without routing a signal through a PSTN,further comprising: a first converter configured to receive the FAXcommunication from the receiver FAX and convert the FAX communication togenerate the FAX data packet including a sender FAX-network ID; and asecond converter configured to intercept and identify the FAX datapacket, extract the FAX communication from the FAX data packet,establish communication with the sender FAX without routing a signalthrough the PSTN and forward the FAX communication to the sender FAXmachine.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first converter iscomprised of: a FAX transmit buffer configured to store the FAXcommunication received from the sender/receiver FAX via a FAXcommunication port, wherein the FAX communication port establishescommunication with the sender/receiver FAX machine without routing asignal through the PSTN; a FAX to network package unit configured toreceive the FAX communication and convert the FAX communication togenerate the FAX data packet including the sender/receiver FAX-networkID; and a transmit channel arbitrator configured to monitor asender/receiver side end station transmit channel, and transfer theFAX-data packet the FAX-network server via a transmit channel of a LANcommunication port.
 22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the secondconverter is comprised of: a source IP extractor configured to detectthe sender/receiver IP address by monitoring packets transmitted to thesender/receiver side LAN end station to generate a notification packetincluding the sender/receiver FAX-network ID and the sender/receiver IPaddress; a transmit channel arbitrator configured to monitor asender/receiver side end station transmit channel and transfer thenotification packet to the FAX-network server via a transmit channel ofa LAN communication port; a receive channel filter configured to monitorpackets transmitted to the sender/receiver side LAN end station in orderto identify and intercept the FAX data packet, such that the sessionport number matches the predefined session port number and the source IPaddress matches an IP address of the FAX-network server; a FAX receivebuffer configured to store the FAX data packet; and a network format toFAX format unpack unit configured to extract the FAX communication fromthe FAX data packet and forward the FAX communication to thesender/receiver FAX via a FAX communication port, such that the FAXcommunication port establishes the communication with the FAX machinewithout routing a signal through the PSTN.
 23. A method of transmittinga FAX communication from a sender FAX to a receiver FAX without routinga signal through a PSTN, the method comprising steps of: detecting areceiver IP address of a receiver side LAN end station; generating anotification packet including the receiver IP address and a receiverFAX-network ID; sending the notification packet to a FAX-network server;receiving the notification packet at the FAX-network server, wherein theFAX-network server includes a mapping table between a destinationFAX-network ID and a destination IP address; establishing acommunication link between a first converter and the sender FAX withoutrouting a signal through a PSTN; receiving the FAX communication fromthe sender FAX at the first converter; generating a FAX packet byconverting the FAX communication to a network packet format includingthe receiver FAX-network ID; sending the FAX packet to the FAX-networkserver; transmitting the FAX packet to the destination IP addresslooked-up in the mapping table of the FAX-network server with thereceiver FAX-network ID as a key; intercepting the FAX packet at asecond converter; extracting the FAX communication from the FAX packet;establishing a communication link with the receiver FAX machine withoutrouting a signal through a PSTN; and transmitting the FAX communicationto the receiver FAX.
 24. The method of claim 24 , wherein the step ofgenerating includes inserting a predefined session port number into thenotification packet that indicates the origin of the fax communication.25. The method of claim 24 , step of generating includes inserting a FAXnetwork type field into the notification packet, wherein the FAX networktype field identifies the FAX packet as either a FAX data packet or anotification packet.
 26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the detectingstep further includes steps of: intercepting a network packettransmitted by the receiver side LAN end station; determining a sourceIP address in a header of the network packet; and using the source IPaddress as the receiver IP address.
 27. The method of claim 23 , whereinthe sending the notification packet step further includes steps of:monitoring a receiver side LAN end station transmit channel; asserting apause control to the receiver side LAN end station; arbitrating a LANtransmit channel for sending the notification packet; transmitting thenotification packet to the FAX-network server via the LAN transmitchannel; de-asserting the pause control to the receiver side LAN endstation; and arbitrating the LAN transmit channel to the receiver sideLAN end station.
 28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the step ofasserting pause control is performed when the transmit channel is idle.29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the FAX data packets are associatedwith a high priority level and the transmit channel arbitrator includesa latency control module that detects the high priority level and thestep of asserting a pause control is performed when the high prioritylevel is detected.
 30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the step ofde-asserting the pause control is performed once the FAX-data packetsassociated with a high priority level have been transmitted to the FAXserver via the LAN transmit channel.
 31. The method of claim 23 ,wherein the method further includes steps of: detecting a sender IPaddress of a sender side LAN end station; generating a notificationpacket including the predefined session port number in a header of thenotification packet, the sender IP address and a sender FAX-network ID;and sending the notification packet to the FAX-network server, wherein anew entry in the mapping table is created containing the senderFAX-network ID and the sender IP address, such that a FAX communicationcan be transmitted to the sender FAX.
 32. The method of claim 23 ,wherein the receiving the notification packet step further includessteps of: receiving a network packet; determining whether the networkpacket is a notification packet based on an identification field in thenetwork packet; extracting a source IP address and a source FAX-networkID from the notification packet; creating a new entry in the mappingtable including the source FAX-network ID and the source IP address; andrepeating these steps for each sender/receiver FAX added to a FAXthrough data network.
 33. The method of claim 23 , wherein the step ofestablishing a communication link between a first converter and thesender FAX further includes steps of: monitoring an on/off hook of thesender FAX machine; generating a dial tone to the sender FAX machine;establishing a communication channel between the sender FAX machine anda PBX emulation device; establishing a FAX communication protocol withthe sender FAX machine; registering a destination FAX telephone numberto determine whether the destination FAX phone number is a FAX-networkID; when the destination FAX phone number is a FAX-network ID, storingthe FAX communication to a FAX transmit buffer; when the destination FAXphone number is a FAX phone number, routing the FAX communication to thedestination FAX machine via the PSTN; and disconnecting the line whenthe sender FAX machine is on hook.
 34. The method of claim 23 , whereinthe sending the FAX packet step further includes steps of: monitoring asender side LAN end station transmit channel; when the transmit channelis idle, asserting a pause control to the sender side LAN end station;arbitrating a LAN transmit channel for sending the FAX packet;transmitting the FAX packet to the FAX-network server via the LANtransmit channel; de-asserting the pause control to the sender side LANend station; and arbitrating the LAN transmit channel to the sender sideLAN end station.
 35. The method of claim 23 , wherein the transmittingthe FAX packet step further includes steps of: receiving the FAX packetat the FAX-network server; extracting a FAX-network ID from the FAXpacket; looking-up a destination FAX IP address in the mapping tablewith the FAX-network ID as a key; repackaging the FAX packet with aFAX-network server IP address as the source address of the FAX packetand the destination FAX IP address as the destination IP address of theFAX packet; and transmitting the FAX packet to the destination FAX IPaddress.
 36. The method of claim 23 , wherein the intercepting stepfurther includes steps of: receiving a network packet transmitted to thereceiver side LAN end station; analyzing a session port number and asource address of the network packet; when the source address matchesthe FAX-network server IP address, storing the network packet in a FAXreceive buffer; and when the source address doesn't match theFAX-network server IP address, sending the network packet to thereceiver side LAN end station.
 37. The method of claim 23 , wherein thestep of establishing a communication link with the receiver FAX furtherincludes steps of: generating a ring/answer request to the receiver FAXmachine with a PBX emulation device; establishing a communicationchannel between the receiver FAX and the PBX emulation device;establishing a FAX communication protocol with the receiver FAX; andretrieving the FAX communication from a FAX receive buffer.
 38. Acomputer readable medium containing instructions which, when executed bya computer: detect a receiver IP address of a receiver side LAN endstation; generate a notification packet including the receiver IPaddress and a receiver FAX-network ID; send the notification packet to aFAX-network server; establish a communication link between a firstconverter and the sender FAX without routing a signal through a PSTN;receive the FAX communication from the sender FAX at the firstconverter; generate a FAX packet by converting the FAX communication toa network packet format including the receiver FAX-network ID; and sendthe FAX packet to the FAX-network server.
 39. A computer readable mediumcontaining instructions which, when executed by a computer: receiving aFAX packet from the first converter, the FAX packet associated with aFAX-network ID indicating a destination FAX machine, the FAX packetcontaining a FAX communication; using the FAX network ID as a key tofind an IP address in a mapping table, the mapping table containing aFAX network ID associated with an IP address; routing the FAX packet tothe IP address over a public computer network.
 40. An appliance controlapparatus for asserting a control command to an appliance from a remotenetwork user using an appliance communication protocol, the apparatuscomprised of: an appliance side LAN end station having an appliance IPaddress; an appliance control packet generated by the remote networkuser and including an appliance network ID and the control command; anappliance network server configured to receive the appliance controlpacket, extract the appliance network ID, lookup a correspondingdestination IP address in a mapping table, and forward the appliancecontrol packet to the destination IP address; and an appliance converterconfigured to intercept and identify the appliance control packet,extract the control command and assert the control command to theappliance using the appliance communication protocol.
 41. The apparatusof claim 40 , wherein the appliance control packet includes a predefinedsession port number.
 42. The apparatus of claim 40 , wherein theappliance control packet includes an appliance network type field. 43.The apparatus of claim 40 , wherein the appliance network ID isorganized in a format similar to a PSTN telephone number.
 44. Theapparatus of claim 40 , wherein the appliance converter is comprised of:a receive channel filter configured to monitor a session port number anda source IP address of packets transmitted to the appliance side LAN endstation in order to identify and intercept the appliance control packet,such that the session port number matches the predefined session portnumber and the source IP address matches an IP address of the appliancenetwork server; an appliance receive buffer configured to store theappliance control packet; and a network format to appliance formatunpack unit configured to extract the control command from the appliancecontrol packet and forward the control command to the appliance machinevia an appliance communication port, such that the appliancecommunication port establishes the appliance communication protocol withthe appliance to assert the control command.
 45. The apparatus of claim41 , wherein the appliance also generates a status report, such that theappliance converter is further comprised of: a source IP extractorconfigured to detect the appliance IP address by intercepting a packettransmitted by the appliance side LAN end station to generate anotification packet including the appliance network ID and the applianceIP address; an appliance transmit buffer configured to store the statusreport received from the appliance via the appliance communication port,wherein the appliance communication port establishes a communicationwith the appliance using the appliance communication protocol; aappliance to network package unit configured to receive the statusreport and convert the status report to the network packet format togenerate a status report packet with a user network ID of the remotenetwork user; a startup switch configured to receive the notificationpacket and the status report packet, such that once the notificationpacket is transferred to an output of the startup switch, the statusreport packet is transferred to the output thereafter; and a transmitchannel arbitrator configured to monitor an appliance side end stationtransmit channel, and transfer the notification packet/status reportpacket to the appliance network server via the transmit channel of theLAN communication port.
 46. The apparatus of claim 45 , wherein thenotification packet includes a predefined session port number.
 47. Theapparatus of claim 42 , wherein the transmit channel arbitrator isconfigured to transmit the notification packet/status report packet oncethe transmit channel is idle.
 48. The apparatus of claim 42 , whereinthe transmit channel arbitrator includes a latency control module thatmonitors the transmit buffer for priority status data and upon detectingpriority status data in the buffer, preempts the transmit channel andmakes the transmit channel available for high priority datatransmission.
 49. The apparatus of claim 48 , wherein the transmitchannel is reserved for the duration of the high priority datatransmission.
 50. The apparatus of claim 40 , wherein the appliancenetwork server is comprised of: an input filter configured to receive anetwork packet and identify notification packets, status report packetsand appliance control packets based on an identification field of thenetwork packet; a first extractor configured to determined a network IDand an IP address contained in the notification packet to create a newentry in the mapping table; a second extractor configured to determine adestination network ID from the appliance control packet; a searchengine configured to determine a destination IP address from the look-uptable using the destination network ID as a key; and a packet modifierconfigured to replace a destination IP address in a header of the statusreport/appliance control packet with the destination IP address and asource IP address in the header with an IP address of the applicationnetwork server.
 51. The apparatus of claim 41 , wherein the appliancecontrol apparatus further includes: a plurality of appliance convertersarranged in a daisy chain configuration between a LAN and the applianceside LAN end station, wherein a first converter is directly connected tothe appliance side LAN end station and a last converter is directlyconnected to the LAN; and a plurality of appliances each attached to oneof the plurality of appliance converters, wherein the interception andidentification of the appliance control packet begins with the lastconverter and continues for each of the plurality of applianceconverters until the first converter is reached, such that the pluralityof converter are further configured to match the appliance network ID inthe appliance control packet with a network ID of the respectiveappliance converter.
 52. The apparatus of claim 44 , wherein thedestination network ID comprises digits arranged in an order from moresignificant digits to lesser significant digits, where the lessersignificant digits represent individual devices on the daisy chain. 53.The apparatus of claim 44 , wherein each of the appliance also generatesa status report, such that each of the appliance converter is furthercomprised of: a source IP extractor configured to detect the applianceIP address by intercepting a packet transmitted by the appliance sideLAN end station to generate a notification packet including theappliance network ID and the appliance IP address; an appliance transmitbuffer configured to store the status report received from the appliancevia the appliance communication port, wherein the appliancecommunication port establishes a communication with the appliance usingthe appliance communication protocol; a appliance to network packageunit configured to receive the status report and convert the statusreport to the network packet format to generate a status report packetwith a user network ID of the remote network user; a startup switchconfigured to receive the notification packet and the status reportpacket, such that once the notification packet is transferred to anoutput of the startup switch, the status report packet is transferred tothe output thereafter; and a transmit channel arbitrator configured tomonitor an appliance side end station transmit channel, such that oncethe transmit channel is idle a LAN pause control is issued to theappliance LAN end station and the plurality of appliance converters, andthe notification packet/status report packet is transferred to theappliance network server via the transmit channel of the LANcommunication port.
 54. The apparatus of claim 44 , wherein theappliance-network server is comprised of: an input filter configured toreceive a network packet and identify notification packets, statusreport packets and appliance control packets; a first extractorconfigured to determined a network ID and an IP address contained in thenotification packet to create a new entry in the mapping table, where anID address field of the mapping table includes duplicate appliance IPaddress for the daisy chain configuration appliance converters; a secondextractor configured to determine a destination appliance network IDfrom the appliance control packet; and a search engine configured todetermine a destination appliance IP address from the look-up tableusing the destination appliance network ID as a key; a packet modifierconfigured to replace a destination IP address in a header of the statusreport/appliance control packet with an IP address the applicationnetwork server.
 55. A method of asserting a control command to anappliance from a remote network user using an appliance communicationprotocol, the method comprising steps of: detecting an appliance IPaddress of an appliance side LAN end station; generating a notificationpacket including the appliance IP address and an appliance network ID;sending the notification packet to an appliance network server;receiving the notification packet at the appliance network server,wherein the appliance network server includes a mapping table between adestination network ID and a destination IP address; generating anappliance control packet including the appliance network ID and thecontrol command; sending the appliance control packet to the appliancenetwork server; transmitting the appliance packet to the destination IPaddress looked-up in the mapping table of the appliance network serverwith the appliance network ID as a key; intercepting the appliancepacket at an appliance converter; extracting the control command fromthe appliance packet; establishing a communication link with theappliance without routing a signal through the PSTN; and asserting thecontrol command to the appliance using the appliance communicationprotocol.
 56. The method of claim 55 , wherein the detecting stepfurther includes steps of: intercepting a network packet transmitted bythe appliance side LAN end station; determining a source IP address in aheader of the network packet; and using the source IP address as theappliance IP address.
 57. The method of claim 55 , wherein the sendingthe notification packet step further includes steps of: monitoring anappliance side LAN end station transmit channel; when the transmitchannel is idle, asserting a pause control to the appliance side LAN endstation; arbitrating a LAN transmit channel for sending the notificationpacket; transmitting the notification packet to the appliance networkserver via the LAN transmit channel; de-asserting the pause control tothe appliance side LAN end station; and arbitrating the LAN transmitchannel to the appliance side LAN end station.
 58. The method of claim55 , wherein the receiving the notification packet step further includessteps of: receiving a network packet; determining whether the networkpacket is a notification packet based on an identification field in thenetwork packet; extracting a source IP address and a source appliance IDfrom the notification packet; creating a new entry in the mapping tableincluding the source appliance ID and the source IP address; andrepeating these steps for each appliance converter added to an appliancecontrol appliance.
 59. The method of claim 55 , wherein the transmittingthe appliance packet step further includes steps of: receiving theappliance packet at the appliance network server; extracting a appliancenetwork IP from the appliance packet; looking-up a destination applianceIP address in the mapping table with the appliance network ID as a key;repackaging the appliance packet with an appliance network server IPaddress as the source address of the appliance packet and thedestination appliance IP address as the destination IP address of theappliance packet; and transmitting the appliance packet to thedestination appliance IP address.
 60. The method of claim 55 , whereinthe intercepting step further includes steps of: receiving a networkpacket transmitted to the appliance side LAN end station; analyzing asource address of the network packet; when the source address matchesthe appliance server IP address, storing the network packet in anappliance receive buffer; and when the source address doesn't match theappliance server IP address, sending the network packet to the applianceside LAN end station.
 61. The method of claim 55 , wherein theintercepting step further includes steps of: receiving a network packettransmitted to the appliance side LAN end station; analyzing a sourceaddress of the network packet; and when the source address matches theappliance server IP address, analyzing a destination network ID of thenetwork packet; when the destination network ID matches a network ID ofa respective appliance converter, storing the network packet in anappliance receive buffer; otherwise, sending the network packet to aprevious stage appliance converter in a daisy chain configuration; andrepeating the receiving, analyzing, analyzing, storing and sending stepsuntil the network packet is stored in an appliance receive buffer. 62.The method of claim 55 , wherein the appliance transmits a status reportto the remote network user, the method further comprising steps of:generating a user notification packet including a user network ID and auser IP address; sending the user notification packet to an appliancenetwork server; receiving the user notification packet at the appliancenetwork server and creating an entry in the mapping table including theuser network ID and the user IP address; generating an appliance statusreport including status information of the appliance; sending the statusreport to the appliance converter; converting the appliance statusreport to a network packet to generate a status report packet includingthe user network ID; transmitting the status report packet to theappliance network server; performing a lookup of the destination IPaddress in the mapping table of the appliance network server with theuser network ID as a key; transmitting the appliance packet to thedestination IP address; and receiving the network data packet at theremote network user for review of the appliance status report.
 63. Themethod of claim 34 , wherein the status report of the appliance isgenerated in response to a command control request from the remotenetwork user.
 64. The method of claim 34 , wherein the status report ofthe appliance is automatically generated and periodically transmitted toa remote network user.